Senate Resolution No. 2065

BY: Senator COMRIE

MEMORIALIZING Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim
May 13, 2017, Stamp Out Hunger Day in the State of
New York

WHEREAS, One in eight Americans struggle with hunger today; and

WHEREAS, According to the United States Department of Agriculture,
more than 36.2 million Americans live in food insecure households and
approximately one in every three of these Americans is a child; and

WHEREAS, A recent survey conducted by Feeding America of their food
bank members reported a 30 percent increase in requests for emergency
food assistance; in New York City, there has been a 20 percent increase
in demand since June; and

WHEREAS, On May 13, 2017, the National Association of Letter
Carriers will conduct the largest food drive in the Nation to combat
hunger, as letter carriers collect non-perishable donations from homes
as they deliver mail along their postal routes; last year, a record 73.1
million pounds of food was collected; and

WHEREAS, The largest one-day food drive in the Nation, the 25th
Annual National Association of Letter Carriers National Food Drive to
"Stamp Out Hunger" is held each year on the second Saturday in May in
over 10,000 cities and towns in all 50 states, the District of Columbia,
Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands; and

WHEREAS, Donations will be collected by more than 1,400 local
branches of the 300,000-member postal union and delivered to food banks,
pantries and shelters that serve the communities where they are
collected; assisting in the effort are rural letter carriers and other
postal employees, as well as members of other unions and thousands of
civic volunteers; and

WHEREAS, Along with the National Association of Letter Carriers,
other co-sponsors of the drive are Feeding America, formerly known as
America's Second Harvest, the nation's food bank network; the United Way
of America and its local United Ways; and the AFL-CIO; and

WHEREAS, As part of its support for the drive, the Campbell Soup
Company will donate one million pounds of food to food banks across the
country and is sponsoring a reminder postcard mailing sent to 120
million homes; and

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to urge the
residents of this great Empire State to support this worthy endeavor by
leaving a bag of non-perishable food where your letter carrier normally
delivers your mail; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
memorialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim May 13, 2017, Stamp Out
Hunger Day in the State of New York; and be it further

RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed be
transmitted to The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of the State of
New York, and the National Association of Letter Carriers.