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NATCHEZ — The National Association of Letter Carriers’ “Stamp Out Hunger” Food Drive is Saturday, May 14, and Natchez postal workers are gearing up for the cause.

NALC Natchez spokesman Frank Patti said cards explaining the drive along with paper bags would be delivered with Natchez residents’ mail during the week before.

“We’ll pick up all the food by the mailboxes,” Patti said. “All they would have to do is leave the food by their mailbox and their letter carrier will come on that Saturday to pick it up. All donations should be non-perishable food items such as cans. No glass jars,” he said.

Those who do not have mailboxes or will not be around Saturday can also drop food donations off at their local post office or leave it at their mailbox the day before, he said.

This year marks the NALC’s 30^th annual food drive.

All donations collected in Natchez will support local charities, including the Natchez Stewpot, the local women’s shelter and food pantries at area churches, Patti said.

“We haven’t had it the last couple of years because of COVID,” Patti said. “We average between 20,000 to 30,000 pounds of food collected on a one-day deal. It’s a big food drive for the whole U.S. Everything we give is done locally. We don’t send it off somewhere. We hope people will participate in it. There are a lot who need the food.”