NC Food Bank can triple donations on Thursday after record-breaking May

RALEIGH (WTVD) -- The need for monetary donations at the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina is great. Thursday, the Food Bank is able to triple donations courtesy of generous donors.

When we visit, the warehouse is humming. Volunteers are on forklifts loading food in the back of trucks. Those trucks will distribute food to some 900 agencies throughout 34 North Carolina counties.

"Right now with COVID-19, we are experiencing a 38% increase in people that need food," said Jennifer Caslin with the Food Bank.

That number is not the only number to note. In May, there was a record for the Food Bank's 40-year history: 9.1 million pounds of food distributed.

Donations in the summer typically dip, but not this summer. The community is pitching in.

Monetary donations are stretching even further. A $1 donation normally provides five meals. Thursday is Triple Match Day - that means for every $1 donation, 15 meals will be provided.

"Last year, we distributed about 82 million pounds of food and this year we've distributed about 91 million pounds of food," Caslin said.

"We want to be here for the long-haul - for friends and neighbors - and your donations of funds really allow us to be flexible," Caslin said. "In this time, flexibility is key."

The Food Bank said they are not having a problem with accessing food, but are seeing a decrease in food drive donations. The Food Bank said that if folks want to organize, but want to continue to socially distance, a virtual food drive is an option.