Even if you do not have letters to mail, you can help your local mail carrier “stamp out” hunger.

This annual event, set to mark its 20th year Saturday, is the largest single-day food drive in the nation and goes a long way toward helping millions of Americans in need.

The effort is lead by the United States Postal Service, the National Association of Letter Carriers, Campbell Soup Company, Feeding America and other partners.

Statistics show that 50 million Americans — including 17 million children — lack sufficient food.

Just about everyone can afford to donate a few extra cans of food or nonperishable items. Something sitting in the back of your cabinet or pantry could mean the world to someone who struggles to put food on the plate on the table.

To participate in the Stamp Out Hunger food drive, residents can leave a sturdy bag containing non-perishable foods, such as canned soup, canned vegetables, pasta, rice or cereal next to their mailbox prior to the time of regular mail delivery on Saturday. Mail carriers will collect these food donations as they deliver the mail and take them to local food banks and pantries.

The USPS has been faced with a fair amount of negative publicity in recent months as the organization had to make difficult decisions to cut expenses, but this is a case where praise — not postage — is certainly due.