LI Cares Pushes For Harry Chapin Commemorative Stamp

A Hauppauge food bank hopes the postcards it mails every day will one day carry its founder’s stamped image.

The Long Island Cares – The Harry Chapin Food Bank has kicked “The Harry Chapin Commemorative Stamp Project” into high gear, asking Chapin's musical fans and supporters to petition the U.S. Postal Service to put his face on a postage stamp.

“This is someone who used his celebrity appeal for good. It’s the kind of image that should have greater prominence,” said Michael Haynes, LI Cares’ government affairs and public policy coordinator. “We can’t think of a greater tribute to him and his cause than to put him on a postage stamp.”

LI Cares applied to the U.S. Stamp Advisory Committee to have a stamp printed in Chapin’s memory as part of their 2011 Legacy 30 campaign, celebrating the 30th anniversary of Chapin’s death in 1981. The stamp advisory committee has ruled it is an idea worthy of further consideration.

In order for Chapin to appear on a postage stamp and speed up the federal process, LI Cares is offering pre-addressed postcards that supporters can mail to the stamp advisory committee. Haynes said the nonprofit hopes the grassroots support will draw the government's attention to Chapin’s lasting legacy.

Chapin is a Long Island folk musician best known for his songs “Cats in the Cradle” and “Taxi.” He co-founded the non-profit organization World Hunger Year and helped create the Presidential Commission on World Hunger, before creating Long Island Cares in 1980.

Haynes said LI Cares has tried several times to get Chapin’s image on a postage stamp, but the idea has never made it to print. He believes this year’s effort may succeed as the project’s Facebook page and pre-addressed postcard campaign is drawing more attention than ever to the cause.

“We’ve sent out two boxes of postcards. At 2,000 each, that’s 4,000 postcards sent and 500 in a next box are already spoken for,” Haynes said.

Those interested in supporting The Harry Chapin Commemorative Stamp Project can contact Haynes at 631-582-3663, ext. 124 or via email: mhaynes@licares.org to receive a pre-addressed postcard to send to the U.S. stamp advisory committee.