ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – In case you didn’t get the heads-up in the mail, the annual Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive is happening this weekend.

The National Association of Letter Carriers organizes it every year, and it’s probably the easiest way to donate food.

With looming federal funding cuts on the horizon, food bank leaders say they need help stocking up as much as they can before this summer.

“When the economy sort of shifts to where groceries are more expensive, we absolutely see an increased need at the food bank,” said Diana Sanchez, Roadrunner Food Bank’s events and communications coordinator. 

The Roadrunner Food Bank is usually able to keep up with that increased demand, at least before the feds started slashing budgets.

“There have been a billion dollars, at least, been cut from the programs that supply food banks like ours,” said Sanchez. 

That means less food is coming to New Mexico this year.

“Right now, we’re expecting, even just between now and July, to lose about $1.9 million worth of food, which equals to about 24 truckloads. Which is an incredible shortage and supply to experience in only two months time,” Sanchez said. 

That’s why organizers say this year’s Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive is more important than ever.

“It’s really neighbors feeding neighbors, and that’s kind of the community support that we don’t often see,” said Sanchez. 

Don’t worry about overdoing it, postal worker reps say they can handle whatever you’re willing to give.

“We’re happy to get anything we can. We’re just always happy to collect that food,” said Christopher Naylor, a food drive coordinator for the National Association of Letter Carriers. “I think there’s a lot of carriers that are excited and proud that they get to do this.”

The Stamp Our Hunger Food Drive is happening Saturday. You can just leave the food items next to your mailbox or cluster box.

Food bank leaders encourage high-protein items like peanut butter and tuna packets.