Mail carriers in Richmond and across the country will be picking up paper bags with donations of boxed, canned and bottled food and beverages and cooking oils on Saturday, May 11, it has been announced.

For the 26th year, the U.S. Postal Service is conducting its “Stamp Out Hunger” food drive that ranks as one of the top single-day food drives in the nation.

Spokesperson Freda Sauter stated that all non-perishable donations are welcome. She noted that foods high in protein, such as canned tuna, salmon, beans and peanut butter, are most needed, as are canned fruits and vegetables, soups, pasta, cereals and beans.

Last year, USPS employees and supportive groups collected 71.6 million pounds of food items, and the total of donations since 1993 has topped 1.6 billion pounds, the postal service reported.

The collected items in the Richmond area will go to the FeedMore food bank, church pantries and other food distribution sites, USPS stated.