Andalusia letter carriers will join a nationwide effort this weekend to collect canned goods for food charities.

Andalusia Postmaster Mike Kolmetz said local letter carriers have participated every year since the drive started and has good turnout every year.

“We usually collect about 1,500 pounds of food every year,” Kolmetz said. The food is in turn donated to local food charities.

Billed as the nation’s largest one-day food drive, the event asks postal customers to leaved contributions of canned goods in their mailboxes.

“If it won’t fit in the mailbox, leave it beside it,” Kolmetz said. “We will pick it up. If we need to, we’ll get out and come to the door to pick it up.”

In addition, postal customers can drop off food contributions at the Post Office between now and Saturday, he said.

Last year’s food drive resulted in more than 71 million pouds of food collected by Postal Service carriers nationally, feeding an estimated 30 million people.

“We appreciate any help we can get,” Kolmetz said. “It all goes back to the local community.”