-By By D. Gail Fleenor

This rough economy isn't making things any easier for food banks, the front-line fighters against hunger in the United States. As food and gas prices continue to climb, more than 35 million Americans today are food-insecure, hungry, or at risk of hunger. That makes programs like Stamp Out Hunger!, led by the National Association of Letter Carriers and sponsored by the Campbell Soup Co., all the more vital--and calls for grocers that take part to apply innovation to keep the donation levels growing.

Publix Super Markets, Wakefern Food Corp., and Meijer, Inc. are among the supermarket operators answering the call this year. Each of these grocers is, in its own way, turning up the volume to make sure donations don't fall off.

The Stamp Out Hunger! initiative is a huge undertaking, and the nation's largest food drive. On May 10, the nation's 230,000 letter carriers will pick up food donations for the hungry as they drop off the mail. Many grocers across the country are supporting the drive this year through the donations, education, and awareness they provide.

Even putting the current season's hardships aside, Stamp Out Hunger! sets an ambitious challenge for itself. During the winter holidays, food donations typically pour into food banks. As the weather heats up and vacations begin, however, a drought of donations hits food pantries and kitchens. Stamp Out Hunger! is timed to refill empty pantry shelves for those in need, including children for whom summer means no more school-program breakfasts and lunches.

"Stamp Out Hunger! is a wonderful example of a nationwide effort to raise awareness and raise food for the hungry in this country," says Steven McFarland, spokesman for Chicago-based America's Second Harvest--the Nation's Food Bank, which is one of the largest recipients of donations to the campaign. "It's remarkable that we can coordinate a national effort like this that really pays off for hungry folks in local communities across the nation."

Help in the can
The Campbell Soup Co. has been part of Stamp Out Hunger! for 15 of the drive's 16 years. This year it will start off the drive by donating 1 million pounds of food.

"This is an easy way for consumers to give back," says Terry Atkins, director of integrated marketing for the Camden, N.J.-based company. "What makes the program so successful is that people don't have to drive to drop off donations. They just take a bag of food to the mailbox, where a letter carrier will pick it up."

Last year, 70 million pounds of food were donated to Stamp Out Hunger!, which equals 1,500 tractor-trailer loads that, if stretched end to end, would cover 15 miles. Stamp Out Hunger! has collected more than 836 million pounds of food since its inception in 1993.

This year to help create momentum, Campbell produced 120 million postcards, which go out the week before collection day to inform consumers and remind them to participate.

"This postcard mailing ranks in the top five of direct-mail efforts in the U.S., along with tax and census form mailings," notes Atkins. There are three versions of the postcard. One is for the general population, one is a Hispanic version, and one is specifically for metro New York and Chicago. The metro version urges consumers to take donations to the post office, since letter carriers ride public transportation in these areas and can't make pickups.

Team members at Campbell work almost year-round to create and produce a variety of vehicles to raise awareness for Stamp Out Hunger! For example, Mike Salzberg, Campbell Sales Co. president, sent letters to c.e.o.'s in the food industry encouraging their participation. Also, more than 30 magazines are working with Campbell on the drive, donating a full page of advertising.

"We will have 75 million impressions this year," says Atkins. Campbell also produces a freestanding newspaper insert for Sunday, May 4 to encourage awareness and provide a call to action, he adds. The Harlem Globetrotters, one of Campbell's partners in the drive, appear in a national television public service announcement.

Campbell's Labels for Education program encourages students in 85,000 schools to conduct food drives. The web site, www.helpstampouthunger.com, went live with new content in mid-April, providing a variety of tools, including e-mail reminders, widgets, wallpaper, and posters to increase awareness.

Campbell sales teams work closely with grocers to spread the word. "There has been phenomenal support at all levels from our supermarket customers," says Atkins. "This year Publix and Wakefern are donating specially printed bags, which make a huge difference in the amount of food collected. When a bag is sent out with the postcard, the tonnage of food doubles."

Supermarkets have developed other clever ways to make it easy for shoppers to donate. Some chains fill bags with nonperishable food, and then sell the bags for $10 to customers, who in turn donate the bags right at the store. Another popular way to donate in-store is through checkout handouts. Cashiers ask customers if they wish to donate to the drive, then scan a coupon on the brochure for their donation, and customers receive a coupon for participating.

Publix goes chainwide
Now in its third year of participation, Publix Super Markets has expanded its involvement from a few company divisions to corporatewide.

"As a retailer passionately focused on youth, literacy, and the plight of the hungry and homeless, participating in the Stamp Out Hunger! drive is a natural fit for us," says company spokeswoman Maria Brous. "Giving back to the communities we serve is something Mr. George taught us some 78 years back," she says, referring to Publix's founder, George Washington Jenkins Jr. "Today we continue this tradition by supporting programs within our communities that make a difference."

In its first two years of helping Stamp Out Hunger!, Publix, based in Lakeland, Fla., donated grocery bags promoting the program. "This year, we anticipate over 10.1 million bags being distributed in our local areas of operation," says Brous. Almost 11 million pounds of the 70.7 million pounds of food collected last year came from Florida, she adds.

Publix is also a supporter of Food for All, formerly FICAH (Food Industry Crusade Against Hunger). Each year, the chain runs this program in all of its stores from mid-November through the end of December. Since 1990, Publix customers and associates have raised over $13.5 million to assist local food banks and community programs focused on food procurement. In addition, Publix has a partnership with America's Second Harvest, providing local organization affiliates with food from its return centers.

ShopRite takes it home
Members of Wakefern Food Corp. operating under the ShopRite banner are also expanding their Stamp Out Hunger! efforts this year, with the donation of 1 million imprinted bags to be sent to homes throughout New Jersey.

ShopRite is especially good at grass-roots support and activities, notes Dave Brady, v.p./customer team leader for Campbell. Based in Edison, N.J., the group will be promoting the food drive in its circular and also with an ad in LiveRight with ShopRite, a company magazine. Its members will place shelf talkers to catch the eyes of customers throughout stores. In addition, Campbell will place a display, offering paper bags to potential donors, in all participating stores.

"We want to remind families to give the best from their pantries, not old items," says Wakefern spokeswoman Karen Meleta. "Go do a shop and pick up high-quality food, proteins, canned vegetables, soups, canned meats, canned fish, beans, [and] peanut butter."

This effort isn't merely to feed the hungry, she notes, but to provide them with nutritious meals. "We are dedicated and committed to fighting hunger, and we want to send this message to our customers. The whole concept of Stamp Out Hunger! fits in with our program, 'ShopRite Partners in Caring,' through which we've given over $2 million to charities in the ShopRite trade area."

Meijer does digital
Meijer, Inc. will be using an eye-catching tactic for its support of Stamp Out Hunger! this year. The supercenter chain will place paper shrouds over entrance/exit scanners with details and the date of the food drive.

Meijer will also be leveraging its Web site one week prior to May 10 with drive details, and will schedule an e-mail 'blast' to shoppers who are part of its network. Weekly ad circulars, shelf talkers, and pallet displays are also in the game plan, according to Frank Guglielmi, spokesman for the Grand Rapids, Mich.-based supercenter chain with over 180 locations.

"Participating in Stamp Out Hunger! is consistent with what we try to do," says Guglielmi. "We're very involved in communities where our customers and team members live. This drive goes to the core elements of our company."

Meijer will also be donating $20,000 to America's Second Harvest--half to the Cincinnati branch and half to Grand Rapids, adds Guglielmi. "Campbell...[makes] it easy to participate because they're so organized," he observes. The company simplifies participation for grocers by providing point-of-sale and other displays to communicate the drive's message throughout the store.