"Stamp Out Hunger" Yearly Food Drive


Postcards that explain the annual "Stamp Out Hunger" food drive were delivered to homes throughout the United States earlier this week.

Sponsored by the U.S. Postal Service, the Campbell Soup Company, the National Association of Letter Carriers, Valpak, the AFL-CIO, Feeding America and the United Way, "Stamp Out Hunger" is the largest national food drive in the country.

Those wishing to donate food to the food drive are being asked to leave canned food next to mailboxes. The donated food will be picked up by letter carriers on Saturday (May 9) and then delivered to area food banks. Last year's food drive netted more than 73 million pounds of food throughout the country.

With today's economy being in such a sorry state and unemployment rates being sky-high, this food drive, always important, is even more needed this year, with food banks reporting that almost twice as many people are using their services as last year.

Stamp Collecting is Booming




UK's Oxford Times reports, "...in these gloomy economic times, experts are suggesting stamps could be the answer and the stamps business is booming."



According to reporter Andrew Smith, some stamp dealers have never been busier. Andrew McGavin of UPA is quoted as saying “I have never seen the [stamp] market this firm. While I would not say stay it is recession-proof, there are some good returns.”



He believes there are three things that are keeping stamps popular as the economy suffers.



“Firstly, many stamp collectors tend to be aged over 60, meaning they are less likely to have a mortgage and be affected by day-to-day rises in the cost of living.



“Secondly, stamps tend to hold their value over the long-term. At the moment they are seen by collectors as an enjoyable hobby with profit potential.



“Finally, the Internet has been kind to stamp collecting. Demand is truly international and valuable stamps can be easily shipped worldwide.”