The Clanton Post Office is participating in the 24th annual National Association of Letter Carriers “Stamp Out Hunger” Food Drive on May 14.

Letter carriers will collect non-perishable food items donated by the customers along their routes.

The charitable event is held each year on the second Saturday in May, and the donations will help restock local food pantries.

While food pantries often receive plenty of donations during the holidays at the end of the year, supplies begin to become scarce as the summer months roll around.

The United States Postal Service website lists 49 million Americans that are “food insecure” and about 16 million children living in a “food insecure” household.

According to Adam Moyes, food drive coordinator for the Clanton branch, the success of the program in recent years has been dictated by the amount of promotion associated with the program.

“As long as we get the word out there, the community will do its part,” Moyes said.

Clanton residents wishing to participate in the food drive are asked to leave non-perishable food items in a bag by their mailbox for the letter carrier to collect.

According to a United States Postal Service press release, over 71 million pounds of food was collected last year and was estimated to have fed about 30 million people.

The letter carriers at the Clanton branch have embraced their roles and understand that they are involved with a project that is bigger than themselves, Moyes said.

Moyes began preparing for the food drive in January and the process began with a call to headquarters in Washington D.C.