The Food Bank of Delaware is hitting record numbers in food distribution this year.
Before the pandemic, the Food Bank of Delaware served an estimated 121,000 food-insecure Delawareans each year. This year that number jumped to around 164,000.
Food Bank of Delaware Communications Director Kim Turner says the organization has given out much more food.
“Between March 16th to December 7th, 2020 we distributed over 14 million pounds of food. When we compare that to 2019 we had distributed just a little over 7 million, so our poundage has about doubled.”
A total of 17 million pounds were distributed so far this year, compared to 7 to 10 million in an average year.
The food bank held a drive-through food distribution event Tuesday with enough food to serve 1,500 households. Distribution began nearly two hours earlier than scheduled in order to serve as many families as possible, who began lining up that morning as early as 7:30.
“I hope that we’ll be able to serve everybody that shows up, recently we have been able to serve everybody that shows up but it’s first come first serve so we’re hoping we’ll be able to get through most of the line today.”
Turner says the community has been extremely generous with donations, but the limiting factor in distribution is staffing and vehicles.
Volunteer slots are open. You can sign up at fbd.volunteerhub.com.
