Mail carriers deliver bags to each home along their route that residents can fill up with canned goods and other nonperishable food items.

The National Association of Letter Carriers' annual Stamp Out Hunger food drive began Thursday.

The food drive takes place across the country. Mail carriers deliver bags to each home along their route that residents can fill up with canned goods and other nonperishable food items.

Locally, the food drive will benefit several nonprofits, including the Food Bank of Lower Fairfield County and Darien-based Person-to-Person. "Since the pandemic, we're serving 81% more people than we did in 2019," Person-to-Person CEO Nancy Coughlin said. "It's a need that's not going down, it's only going up."

Residents who'd like to donate are asked to place filled bags by their mailbox. Letter carriers will collect them on May 13.