The nation's largest single-day food drive will take place on Saturday, May 11, when postal workers in Alexandria will join others across the country in the 21st annual Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive.

Last year's drive brought in more than 70 million pounds of food nationwide, raising the total to 1.1 billion pounds of food collected since the drive began in 1993.

To participate in this year's drive, place bags of non-perishable food items by your mail box before your mail is delivered May 11. Donations can also be dropped off at local post office branches throughout the city.

Donations of non-perishable food, including pet food, will be distributed by the letter carriers to local shelters and food banks such as ALIVE!, Rising Hope, UMC, Koinonia and Capital Area Food Bank.

Official sponsors of this year's drive include the National Rural Letter Carriers' Association, Campbell Soup Company, Valpak, U.S. Postal Service, United Way, AFLCIO, Feeding America, Uncle Bob's Self- Storage and AARP.

Campbell Soup Company will kick off this year's food drive with a pledge to donate one million pounds of food to Feeding America member food banks.

Examples of non-perishable items include: Peanut butter, canned soup, canned meats and fish, canned vegetables, fruits and juices, boxed goods (such as cereal), pasta and rice.

For more information about the annual Stamp Out Hunger food drive, ask a letter carrier, contact the local post office or visit either www.helpstampouthunger.com or www.facebook.com/StampOutHunger, and follow the drive at www.twitter.com/StampOutHunger.