NATCHEZ — Letter carriers’ arms are going to be worn out Saturday.

That’s because they’ll be carrying a lot more than just letters.

The National Association of Letter Carriers Stamp Out Hunger food drive is Saturday, and all city and county residents are encouraged to leave non-perishable food items in or near their mailbox for pick up.

Each letter carrier will personally collect the food items on their route, and then the food will be distributed amongst the Guardian Shelter, the Sunshine Shelter, the United Way of the Miss-Lou and the StewPot.

All of the food collected will be distributed locally, letter carrier and food drive coordinator Frank Patti said,

“There are a lot of people that need food who don’t have it, who can’t afford to buy it,” Patti said. “This is one way we can help the community.”

Donations of canned meats and fish, canned vegetables, soups, juices, cereal and rice are encouraged.

Stamp Out Hunger’s goal is to collect 10,000 pounds of food, and last year letter carriers collectively picked up 9,600 pounds.

“If everybody would put two cans of food in their mailbox, that would do it,” Patti said of the 15,000 residents serviced by the postal service.

All residents are requested to set the food out before their letter carrier comes.

Containers should not be made of glass, and the food should not be past its expiration date.

Those who do not have a mailbox can bring food to the post office on North Canal Street.

“All they have to do is go to the post office for us. We’ll take it no problem,” he said.