[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 100 (Thursday, July 7, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1265]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 ST. PETERSBURG, FLORIDA LETTER CARRIERS LEAD NATION IN COLLECTION OF 
                                  FOOD

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. C.W. BILL YOUNG

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, July 7, 2011

  Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, for the third time in five years, 
the men and women of the National Association of Letter Carriers Branch 
1477 of St. Petersburg, Florida, led the Nation in food collection as 
part of the national ``Stamp Out Hunger'' food drive.
  Their chapter alone collected an astounding 1,770,814 pounds of food 
that has been distributed to Pinellas County food banks, pantries and 
shelters, many of which are affiliated with Feeding America. St. 
Petersburg Branch 1477, combined with another local branch, Tampa 599, 
collected 3,500,196 pounds, more food than in any other geographic area 
in the Nation. In fact, these two chapters accounted for two of the top 
five branch totals nationally.
  Having spent time with many members of Branch 1477, I know of the 
great pride they have in serving our community. They acknowledge that 
the ``Stamp Out Hunger'' food drive is an outstanding partnership 
between the National Association of Letter Carriers, the United States 
Postal Services, the American Postal Workers Union, the National Rural 
Letter Carrier's Association, Campbell's Soup Company, United Way 
Worldwide, AFL-CIO, and local businesses including Uncle Bob's Self 
Storage and Valpak, a major sponsor in my area. Most importantly 
though, the level of success of this annual drive is due to the 
compassion and support of the residents of our local communities who 
place bag after bag of food out at their mail box on this one day of 
the year to lend a helping hand to their neighbors in need.
  Mr. Speaker, please join me in thanking the National Association of 
Letter Carriers for taking the initiative to sponsor the ``Stamp Out 
Hunger'' program for these past 19 years and in congratulating the 
letter carriers of Branch 1477 who serve from Dunedin through Largo, 
Pinellas Park, St. Petersburg and south to Punta Gorda, Florida, for 
once again topping the Nation in the collection of food. This program 
is in the finest American tradition of neighbor helping neighbor.

                          ____________________