SALISBURY, Md. - The Maryland Food Bank says they have seen a 47% increase in new clients needing food desperately and that number is likely to increase.
Jennifer Small, Senior Regional Program Director of the Maryland Food Bank Eastern Shore, says "we're still continuing to see an increased need, so again, we realize recovery is not going to be overnight. Food insecurity was a challenge before the pandemic, it continues to be a challenge during the pandemic."
Small says she expects the increase in need to continue throughout the year saying, "we expect it to be a year, years to come, where we're still trying to combat what this pandemic has done for our communities and for our state."
From March of 2020 until February of this year, the Eastern Shore branch distributed more than 8.4 million meals across the shore. That's around 10 million lbs of food, says Small. Like many commodities, the increase in demand is causing a decrease in supply.
"Over the course of the past year, our food donations actually did see a drastic decline," Small says, "so we were having to purchase 300% more in product than we have had to do in years prior to COVID. We're rallying behind community support. Making sure to educate how communities can give back to us in a way that food, volunteerism, and of course financial support."
Donations can be dropped off Monday through Friday at the food bank's location in Salisbury. Monetary donations are also welcome so the food bank can continue to purchase food for those in need.
If you or someone you know is in dire need of food, you can contact the Maryland Food Bank Eastern Shore at (410) 742- 0050 or online at https://mdfoodbank.org/find-food/.