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Tens of thousands of Arkansas depend on local food pantries every week, but even non-profits are having trouble keeping their shelves stocked.
Volunteers at Lewis Street Church of Christ prepare lunch for the hungry. Those in need of a hot lunch have been able to turn there every Saturday for 24 years.
Organizer Michelle James says recent economic turmoil has people depending on the service now more that ever.
(Michelle James, Lewis Street Church of Christ) "With gas prices going up, you have to decide, are you going to have a hot meal on the table or put gas in the car to get to work?"
Michelle says she's serving more and more working families.
(James) "Now, it's not just homeless, these are people struggling day-to-day with the cost of everything. The economy's just a mess."
We talked with one woman who has a job, but says help with just one meal makes difference.
(James) "This helps out. This takes the edge off. I think it's a great place for people to come."
Despite the high demand, the pantry shelves are far from full.
(James) "It's not stocked as well as it used to be because there's a shortage and more people are in need."
The growing need for food isn't just seen here at Lewis Street. It's a growing problem statewide. Like more than 900 other food pantries in the state, the church gets its food from the Arkansas Food Bank Network, part of the state's hunger relief alliance.
It's director says the state's food banks are all seeing an increase in demand, and with rising prices, a shortage of food.
(Rhonda Sanders, Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance) "We have seen our ability to acquire food in the last four months or so has dropped a tremendous amount."
And recent disasters haven't helped.
(Sanders) "Between snow, tornadoes, floods, you mix that in and you have a growing population who need our assistance."
Sanders says the alliance is doing everything it can to keep up with the demand.
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