WHEREAS, In the largest one day food drive in the world, the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC), 315,000 strong, is attempting to stamp out hunger in America. On the second Saturday in May, May 11, 1996, these dedicated people will endeavor to bring relief to the estimated 30 million Americans who go hungry every day; and

WHEREAS, Letter carriers throughout the nation are banding together to conduct local food drives. In its initial drive four years ago, the effort encompassed 220 branches of the United States Postal Service and collected nearly 12 million pounds of food. By its third year, the drive comprised 1,100 branches and collected nearly 45 million pounds of food for the needy; and

WHEREAS, Many states have already adopted the second Saturday of May as National Food Day. As the demand for help tends to increase during the summer months when school children are cut off from school lunch programs, this dramatic annual crusade takes on an even greater air of urgency; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations hereby offers its complete support to what is becoming a national tradition by proclaiming the second Saturday in May, May 11, 1996, to be "Rhode Island NALC Food Drive Day", and urges all of the citizens of the Ocean State to contribute generously to the campaign, thereby helping to feed our communities and stamp out hunger in America; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and he hereby is authorized and directed to transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to the National Association of Letter Carriers.