VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Operation Blessing said Friday that its Hunger Strike Force had seen a 40 percent increase in demand for food in the last two weeks because of the economic impacts of coronavirus.
It's meeting these needs with 11 new refrigerated trailers.
Hub Group, a transportation company based in Oak Brook, Illinois, donated the trailers to the Virginia Beach-based nonprofit.
Previously, Operation Blessing had 16 tractors and 72 trailers that it used to move 750,000 pounds of food to national distribution centers every week.
In Hampton Roads, Operation Blessing has 67 feeding "partner groups" that pick up food from distribution centers and give it to food banks, shelters and ministries.
Gordon Robertson, president and chief operating officer of Operation Blessing, said this could help the organization share more fresh foods. Its normal cargo heavily relies on canned goods, cereals, protein bars, rice and beans.
"These refrigerated trailers will enable the Hunger Strike Force to dramatically increase our distribution of fresh foods and will have an immediate, positive impact in our efforts to feed many more people across the country," Robertson wrote in a Friday release.
To donate or contribute to the organization, people can visit its website.