Raleigh food bank plans to expand to meet growing demand
Volunteers packed the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina in Raleigh Saturday, but the organization dedicated to helping feed the hungry is bursting at the seams.
Posted — UpdatedThe Raleigh branch of the food bank, located on Tarheel Drive, has reached capacity, according to Barry Barber.
"The reality is, we have reached capacity," he said. "In order to meet our mission, we need to expand."
The Raleigh branch serves 13 counties in central North Carolina including Duplin, Franklin, Halifax, Harnett, Johnston, Nash, Simpson, Wake, Warren, and Wayne counties.
Eighteen years ago the organization would move about 1 to 5 million pounds of food through the Raleigh facility. Last year, roughly 28 million pounds of food moved through the Raleigh branch.
"We know that we could obtain more food if we had capacity," Barber said. "This is an organization that does not seem to shy
In the counties served by the Raleigh branch, over 264,012 individuals are at risk of hunger; 93,533 are children and over 8% are 65 years and over.
The organization is planning a campaign later this year to raise money for new programs and facilities.
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