VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — A drive-thru food pantry in Virginia Beach turned into a huge success on Tuesday.
The Virginia Department of Human Services and the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore held the event in the parking lot of Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater.
More than 1,400 people showed up at the drive-thru food pantry. Workers and volunteers packed cars full of fresh fruit and vegetables, cereal, and milk.
The foodbank says there's about a 20% increase in food insecurity in the region since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Emma Inman with the food bank said, “We are certainly thankful for the outpouring of community support that enables us to hold events like this, but certainly we want to see these numbers of people who are in need begin to decline.”
Bryan Clark with the Virginia Beach Department of Human Services said it's an amazing feeling helping people provide food for their families.
“We got the vaccines, but the economic impacts are not going away anytime quickly. Households are still struggling to find food to put on their table and sometimes they don't qualify for SNAP or some gaps that just need to be filled and have access to healthy food,” Clark said.
He said leaders plan to hold another free food giveaway later this year.
The Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore is always looking for volunteers. Click here for more information.