Local residents will have a chance to do their part to “stamp out hunger” in the annual event sponsored by the National Associ-ation of Letter Carriers in conjunction with the postal service and Campbell Soup Co.

The event, which is held to help feed families in all 50 states, will be held Sat., May 12, and is in its 20th year.

“We’re incredibly excited for the 20th anniversary of the Stamp Out Hunger food drive,” said NALC president Fredric Rolando. “We’re asking people across the country for their support to make this year’s drive the most successful in its 20-year history. It’s so easy to make a donation: simply leave a bag of non-perishable food by your mailbox to help neighbors in need. That’s all it takes.”

The food drive is the nation’s largest single-day food drive, having collected more than 1 billion pounds of food since its inception.

Local letter carriers including those in Andalusia will participate.

“Roughly 49.1 million families do not have secure meals all the time” said Andalusia’s Postmaster Mike Kolmetz. “That’s one reason the NALC started the food drive. I was a city carrier when they started, and it went over well during my entire career here.”

Non-perishable items such as canned meats and fish, soup and beasn are suggested, as well as peanut butter, juice, pasta, canned vegetables, cereal and rice. Food drive organizers ask that glass containers and items beyond their expiration dates not be included in donations.

Those wanting to participate may place their donations in one or more plastic grocery bags at their mailbox on Saturday before their letter carrier arrives with the day’s mail.

The letter carrier will deliver the food to the local post office, where it will be consolidated with other donations and delivered to local food banks and pantries.