NATCHEZ — Local residents are being asked to empty their cupboards of unused non-perishables and include them in their outgoing mail next week to help local letter carriers stamp out hunger.

Letter carriers will be delivering bags to city and county residents Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday for donations for the 20th annual nationwide Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive sponsored by the National Association of Letter Carriers.

Residents can put their non-glass, non-perishable donations in the bags and leave them at their mailbox for carriers to pick up on Friday or Saturday.

The donations will be divided among the Stewpot, the Guardian Shelter and the food banks at the First United Pentecostal Church and the 61 South Church of Christ.

The food drive raised 9,000 pounds of food locally last year, and retired letter carrier and organizer Frank Patti said this year’s goal is 10,000 pounds.

“Many people around here need food, and this is something we do each year to try to help feed the people right here in our area,” Patti said.

According to the Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive website, the food drive is the nation’s largest single-day food drive benefiting Feeding America, the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief organization. In 2011, 70.2 million pounds of food was donated during the drive.

For more information about the annual food drive, visit helpstampouthunger.com.