Grits, sugar, canned vegetables, boxes of cereal, cornbread and macaroni are some of the nonperishable items that letter carriers will collect this weekend during the nation’s largest one-day food drive.

Letter carriers from Orangeburg and surrounding areas will join other carriers in thousands of cities and towns nationwide to collect food this Saturday, May 13, as part of the National Association of Letter Carriers’ 25th annual “Stamp Out Hunger” food drive.

Carriers will collect the nonperishable food donations left beside or in mailboxes and post offices and deliver them to local community food banks, pantries and shelters.

About 80 million pounds of food were collected nationwide in 2016, which brought the grand total of donations to more than 1.5 billion pounds of food collected since the drive began in 1992.

Orangeburg donations will be given to Cooperative Church Ministries of Orangeburg.

Longtime CCMO volunteer Gloria Woodruff, 90, was among those at the Orangeburg post office Tuesday morning to help kick off this year’s volunteer effort. Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter, D-Orangeburg, was also there.

Woodruff said the food donations are appreciated.

"I think they are doing a wonderful thing. I just remember what I came to CCMO for -- to serve. That's the most important thing to me," she said.

Woodruff added, "I'm helping to reach out to the people that have less than me. I can remember when I was in that position myself, but not as bad because I had somebody to pick me up. A lot of people don't have that."

CCMO, located at 889 Russell St., is open 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Local “Stamp Out Hunger” coordinator Kenny Vogt said the Orangeburg post office gets support from area branches, including Cope, Bamberg, North, Bowman, Denmark, Neeses, Norway, Rowesville, Santee, St. Matthews, Vance, Springfield and Branchville.

"This is the 25th year. It means a lot because there are a lot of less fortunate residents in the area. I think it's for a great cause. Community participation has been great," Vogt said.

Referring to the local carriers who help make the event a success, Cobb-Hunter said, "We appreciate all that you do."

Canned meats, including tuna, chicken and salmon; canned and boxed meals; and canned fruits and vegetables are among the most desirable food items to donate.

Items that will not be accepted are rusty, outdated and unlabeled cans; glass containers; homemade items; and opened or used products.

Vogt said, "We get mainly canned goods, a lot of anything from cereal to cake mix, noodles, pasta and juice. People can leave the food at the mailbox. Some of them let us know that they're going to leave it at the door."

Postal customers are receiving notification cards, along with plastic bags that can be used for donated items. A bin will be placed in the lobby of the Orangeburg post office for food items, Vogt said.

Individuals and groups who wish to donate their time to help deliver and unload food at CCMO can call 803-531-4913. For more information about the drive, visit www.nalc.org/community-service/food-drive or www.facebook.com/StampOutHunger.