ROCK ISLAND, Illinois - The "Stamp Out Hunger" food drive is asking people to set out non-perishable foods by their mailboxes to be picked up on Saturday, May 13th, 2016.
It helps out people like Kathy who who rely on food pantries at least once a month to have something to eat.
"Just to get by, I have health issues and if I don't eat, I can end up in the hospital," said Kathy.
The economy may get better but hunger isn't going away in the Quad Cities.
"We have 1 in 8 people in this community who go hungry everyday not by choice, 1 in 5 of those individuals are children," said Joshua Schipp, United Way of the Quad Cities Area.
Food pantries like the one at Rock Island's Sacred Heart are trying to keep their shelves stocked for the people that come through their doors on a daily basis.
"About 40 to 50 families a day," said Mike Clark, pantry coordinator.an
Once summer comes, pantry shelves become bare all too often.
"The school programs are ending for the year and we're far enough away from the holidays where the food supplies generally start to run a little low," said Schipp.
That's why the "Stamp Out Hunger" food drive is so important.
"Wherever you get your mail delivered to that's where you drop the food off," said Schipp.
The food you leave near the mailbox could be in pantries like the one at Sacred Heart next week and for Kathy and her friends that could be one less meal she needs to worry about.
"They're out there to help certain people, any people, doesn't matter what kind," said Kathy.