PHOENIX — The modern model of the food bank started in Phoenix, back in 1967 at St. Mary's Food Bank. National Food Bank Day was recognized 50 years later in 2017, designated to fall on the first Friday of September.
"Looking at the calendar, we saw there was a lot of foods that had days, but there wasn't a food bank day," Jerry Brown with the St. Mary's Food Bank said.
To celebrate, St. Marys is doing what it does best, packing boxes of food for people in need.
A group of volunteers mans the assembly line, and by the end of their shift over 1,000 emergency food boxes will be full.
Do you have a concern in your community or a news tip? We want to hear from you!
Connect with us: share@abc15.com
“It feels like you’re doing something worthwhile," Mark DeGrow said. He has been volunteering consistently since 2020.
The volunteers are working at a critical time because demand at St. Mary's has spiked.
“We are seeing more people now than we did at the height of the pandemic. Inflation has hit so many families and so many seniors," Brown said.
With more food going out than ever before, tightening budgets also mean less donations coming in.
“We’re purchasing more food, that costs more money. So any donations of food, time, or money are important," Brown said.
St. Mary's has still been able to meet the need, as volunteer Scott McLaughlin says no one should feel bad about needing a helping hand.
“No one is going to look down on you or treat you poorly. We want you to come here if you need food," Scott McLaughlin said.
National Food Bank Day is a small part of 'Hunger Action Month', and there are ways to help end hunger every day of September.
