COEUR d'ALENE - Leave non-perishable food donations in plastic bags by your mailbox Saturday and you'll be joining a national effort to "stamp out" hunger.

The Coeur d'Alene Letter Carriers will be collecting donations for local food banks in their 17th annual food drive. It's part of the National Association of Letter Carriers "Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive," the largest collection event that benefits area food banks.

Last year, Community Action Partnership, the only food bank that serves all of Kootenai County, received 20,126 pounds of food because of the mail carriers' efforts.

"It is the biggest food drive that we have and we are very dependent upon this food because it has to sustain us until November when there's the Boy Scout food drive," said Carolyn Shewfelt, food bank manager of Community Action Partnership.

Shewfelt said donations are down about a third from what they were when she first began working with the food bank, but she attributes it to the reeling economy.

A goal of the annual drive is "to beat the previous year," Shewfelt said.

Non-perishable foods are "shelf-stable" items that do not spoil or decay, states information on www.wishingwelloutreach.org. "They can withstand months of shelf life. These types of items are found on the shelves of most home pantries, and these items are a vital staple for food shelves when serving hungry individuals and families."

This includes, but is not limited to: canned vegetables and fruits, boxed goods, dried fruit, pastas, canned meats or fish such as chicken, tuna or salmon, pudding or fruit cups, bottled water, canned soups and stews, peanut butter and nuts, and more. Expired foods cannot be used in food boxes, but may still be accepted depending on the condition of the item.

According to The Idaho Food Bank's website, www.idahofoodbank.org, 66,628 children in the Gem State are "food insecure," rendering them at risk of hunger and lack of proper nutrition. Idaho is also labeled the 33rd hungriest state, but was not long ago the 6th hungriest.

If a postal patron misses the mail carrier and wants to donate non-perishable food items, Community Action Partnership will be open Saturday to accept them, at 4144 Industrial Ave. E, Coeur d'Alene.