That amount topped last year’s state amount of 358,343 pounds — a 26 percent increase.

In Billings, the annual food drive delivered an estimated 200,000 pounds of food donations for the Billings Food Bank, exceeding the 170,000 pounds donated last year, according to Sheryle Shandy, executive director. 

The 450,318 pounds collected statewide will provide more than 346,446 hearty meals to feed the hungry. Each 1.3 pounds of food equates to one meal, according to food bank officials.

All the food goes to local community food banks which provide the food to area community organizations and pro-grams serving children, the elderly, families and the disadvantaged throughout the year.

The national total of 77.1 million pounds also exceeded  last year’s total amount collected of 73.4 million pounds. This was the 18th year of the one-day national letter carriers “Stamp Out Hunger” food drive across America. More than 1 billion pounds of food have been given to feed America’s hungry since the letter carriers’ food drive began in 1993.