Food Drive Collects Thousands of Pounds

Farmington residents left bags of nonperishable food by their mailboxes on Saturday, May 9, and local letter carriers picked them up as part of the annual Stamp Out Hunger drive. Farmington Public Schools said the town collected more than 12,000 pounds of food in this year's campaign, more than double the 5,600 pounds gathered a year earlier. The donations are headed to the Farmington Food Pantry, a volunteer-run nonprofit that says it is currently serving 494 residents across 273 households. The collection was part of the National Association of Letter Carriers' nationwide food drive, held each year on the second Saturday in May. ### How much food did Farmington collect? Farmington Public Schools said the May 9 drive brought in "over 12,000 pounds of food" on Saturday. The district credited second graders with helping publicize the event by making signs and spreading the word in advance of the collection. That total compares with 5,600 pounds last year, according to the same school district post. (fpsct.org) The increase made this year's drive one of the larger recent collections publicly cited in Farmington materials tied to the event. ### Who picked up the donations from residents? Letter carriers collected the food during their regular routes, according to the National Association of Letter Carriers and the U.S. (fpsct.org) Postal Service. Residents were asked to leave bags of nutritious, nonperishable food next to their mailboxes for pickup on Saturday, May 9. The National Association of Letter Carriers says the drive is held annually on the second Saturday in May. (fpsct.org) USPS said the 2026 event was in its 34th year and that donations are distributed to local food banks and pantries after collection. ### Where will the food go in Farmington? The Farmington Food Pantry says the donations will support its local operation in Farmington, where it provides food and personal care items to qualified families. (nalc.org) The pantry says it runs a "Clients Choice" model that allows clients to select the items they want and need rather than receiving a pre-packed bag. Town of Farmington materials describe the pantry as a partnership between Farmington Community Services and The Farmington Food Pantry. (nalc.org) The town says the pantry operates at Amistad Hall at the First Church of Christ in Farmington and serves pre-qualified participants by appointment. (ffpct.org) ### How many local households use the pantry? The Farmington Food Pantry website says it is currently serving 494 Farmington residents in 273 households. The town's social services page separately says the pantry serves more than 215 Farmington families, reflecting figures published on different local pages. The pantry says it is funded through donations and staffed entirely by volunteers. (farmington-ct.org) It also says the Farmington community has supported its work for more than 30 years. ### Why is the Stamp Out Hunger drive timed for May? USPS said the May collection is intended to help food banks and pantries as supplies thin out heading into summer. The postal service said donations often decline after the holiday season and that children can lose access to school lunch programs when school is out. (ffpct.org) The National Association of Letter Carriers says the national drive has been running since 1993 and has collected nearly 2 billion pounds of food overall. In Farmington, this year's local haul will now move into the pantry's regular distribution system for residents who qualify through Community Services. ### What happens next for residents who need help or want to give? (news.usps.com) The Farmington Food Pantry says appointments are available on Tuesdays, the first Thursday of each month and the third Saturday of each month at its Main Street location. The town says residents seeking pantry access should contact Farmington Community Services at (860) 675-2390 to be pre-qualified and scheduled. (nalc.org) The pantry says residents who want to support future collections can donate food, give money or organize another food drive through the nonprofit. Those next steps will determine how quickly the shelves are replenished after the May 9 haul is sorted and distributed. (ffpct.org)