Thank you, Brother Fred (Rolando), for your leadership and your friendship.
God bless the National Association of Letter Carriers. There is no finer group of public servants in this country. You do it all.
I am very proud to once again offer the AFL-CIO’s support for the Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive.
This community service campaign is unparalleled. 27 years and still going strong!
You’ve collected food for the hungry in every corner of our country. 1 billion pounds and climbing!
One thing I’ve learned during my 50 years in the labor movement is that every successful campaign is made possible by hard-working staff.
This drive takes planning and organization and attention to detail. And that’s why the Letter Carriers are so lucky to have Christina Vela Davidson leading the way.
She’s set an ambitious goal of 80 millions pounds this year. Brothers and sisters, are we going to do it?
Hell yeah we are!
To help, the AFL-CIO is donating half a million bags.
Here’s what we are facing: 1 in 8 Americans struggle to get enough to eat. This includes more than 12 million children. In the richest country in the world. At our richest point in history.
This is shameful. We must do everything in our power to reverse it. And we can start by making sure every worker has the right to form a union and bargain collectively.
But as long as there is hunger in this nation, we will use the massive infrastructure of the labor movement to bring help AND hope to those who are suffering.
So put some non-perishable food items out by your mailbox this Saturday.
If you see a letter carrier, thank them. And while you’re at it, tell your members of Congress to protect the Post Office from privatization.
The Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive is one of the most important things we will do this year.
It reminds me of a story the late statesman and humanitarian, George McGovern, would tell. As Director of the World Food Program in the 1960s, he had the opportunity to meet with Pope John XXIII. The Pope grasped his hand and said, "Mr. McGovern, when you go to meet your Maker, and he asks, 'Did you feed the hungry?' You can say, 'I did.'"
Brothers and sisters, with Saturday’s effort, we too, can say, “I did.”
The NALC.
The labor movement.
All the sponsors and food banks.
We are going to feed the hungry.
Thank you very much.