Leave a bag of nonperishable food by your mailbox Saturday and help feed a neighbor in need.

The red, white and blue postal trucks cruising the streets Saturday will be carrying more than letters and bills — they will also be hauling large quantities of food bound for Oxnard-based FOOD Share.

The aptly named "Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive," now in its 16th year, is a way of restocking America's community food banks that millions of families rely on — even more so this year — as the economy continues to grind downward amid rising gas and food prices.

This year, nearly 1,300 post offices in more than 10,000 cities and towns across the U.S. will participate in what is billed as the nation's largest one-day food drive. It's organized by the National Association of Letter Carriers.

Locally, FOOD Share, the county regional food bank, will receive food collected by letter carriers who work out of the main post offices in Thousand Oaks and Oxnard, and the Santa Clara and Wake Forest post offices in Ventura.

Food donations collected by letter carriers in other county cities will go to food agencies and charities selected by their post offices.

To help spur donations for FOOD Share, letter carriers are delivering 100,000 biodegradable bags to residents served by the four post offices.

Saturday morning, residents may simply place any spare nonperishable food items in these bags — or another grocery bag if you didn't receive a biodegradable one — and place it next to the mailbox (no stamp or return address required).

When the letter carrier arrives, he or she will pick up the donation and haul the food back to each post office where a swarm of volunteers will unload the trucks, sort the bounty and then transport it to FOOD Share. The food will then be distributed to more than 150 pantries, churches and nonprofits.

Last year, more than 50,000 pounds of food were collected, enough to feed a family of four some 8,000 meals. FOOD Share's goal this year is 75,000 pounds.

Like the rest of the nation, hunger is becoming an increasing problem in Ventura County. The local food bank serves nearly 38,000 people a month, and officials here expect to see that number rise as the summer approaches.

Lance Ferguson of FOOD Share said the food bank has seen a recent jump in the number of working poor needing food. He said this food drive comes at a critical time since donations tend to drop off after the winter holidays.

The types of nonperishable foods needed include tuna, peanut butter, canned vegetables, soup, pasta, rice, macaroni and cheese, cereals, etc. Please, no items in glass containers.

If you can help out this Saturday with a food donation, please do so. If not, perhaps another time. FOOD Share accepts donations any time and can always find work for new volunteers. If you want to help out or need assistance, call FOOD Share at 983-7100.

Remember, reaching out to help a struggling neighbor or choosing to give of ourselves will ensure everyone in our community has enough to eat.