CONCORD, N.C. -- Supply isn't meeting demand at local food banks. Food pantries across North Carolina are being inundated with requests for food and many of those same pantries are seeing fewer donations.

”Our donations are down. They're down about over 30 percent from last year, while the needs are up over 11 percent from last year,” said Ed Hosack, the executive director of Cooperative Christian Ministry which oversees several food pantries in Cabarrus County.

Hosack’s food pantry, like many in the state, has bare shelves. The warehouse has more space.

“Normally you would see full pallets stacked up both sides down the warehouse and in the back with items that have been donated and items that came from America's Second Harvest or some other area. Right now, our inventories are very low,” he said.

The United States Department of Agriculture provides some of the food. According to the USDA, last year, 12.6-million families said it was difficult to provide enough food for their families. But federal changes have changed the USDA’s supply of food. “Even the USDA foods that have been coming our way have been significantly less than what they have been in previous years,” said Hosack.

The USDA used to provide 12 different types of food. Hosack said the USDA is down to supplying just four different kinds of products now; green beans, corn, rice, and apple juice. Local grocery stores donate produce, deli and bakery items. And restaurants, like Panera Bread, help out too.

Some food comes from Second Harvest Food Banks. Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina hasn't experienced a drop in donations but they can't fill all of the requests of local pantries either.
The same is true for the Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest North Carolina.

“I have been at the Second Harvest Food Bank for 25 years, and this December is the toughest time that I have ever seen for us. And we are receiving donations but not enough to keep up with the pace, the growth and the need,” said Nan Griswold, executive director of Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest N.C.

Usually, the Concord pantry helps about 450 families a month. “But in March we averaged over 500 and we're above those levels already in April,” said Hosack.

There is something those interested in helping can do. The 16th annual Letter Carrier’s Food Drive is coming up on May 10. It's every year on the second Saturday of May. Leave a bag of non-perishable food at your mailbox or drop food donations off at your local post office and letter carriers will deliver the food to local food pantries.