The National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC), in conjunction with the United States Postal Service, will collect non-perishable food items on Saturday, May 9, to help families in need throughout the community.

This is the 17th annual food drive sponsored by the NALC. The nationwide effort hopes to help families in all 50 states.

Food items such as canned meats and fish, canned soup, juice, pasta, vegetables, cereal and rice.

People can help by placing food donations in their mailboxes on May 9 before the letter carrier arrives.

The food will be taken to the post office and then delivered to local food banks or pantries. Contributors are asked not to include items that have expired or are in glass containers.

Donations will be collected by more than 1,400 local branches of the 300,000-member NALC in more than 10,000 towns. Last year, the NALC collected 73.1 million pounds of food for the needy.

Help the U.S. Postal Service make one of its best deliveries by taking part in Saturday’s “Stamp Out Hunger” food drive.