Filling boxes at the Wake Forest Farmers Market, the Tri-Area Ministry Food Pantry's collection event was just as much about receiving food donations as it was about raising awareness.
"We're feeding about 2,000 families a month these days, which is a record number, more than we ever have done," said Board Chairman Michael Burger.
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Burger says the recent federal government shutdown, combined with heightened demand and funding cuts have put unprecedented pressure on his organization.
"We're preparing for the perfect storm," Burger said. "During the last, lengthy government shutdown, toward the third week or so, we started to see some federal employees coming to the pantry looking for help."
That need for help could extend to similar organizations, according to meal and outreach nonprofit Inter-Faith Food Shuttle.
"This government shutdown is just expediting some of those increases in demand we are already anticipating," said President & CEO Ron Pringle.
Pringle says pantries are trying to get emergency food supply boxes ready, on top of added challenges from earlier cuts to federal programs that help stock shelves.
"It's heartbreaking to hear your local church pantry or your local nonprofit reaching out and saying, 'We need more food,'" Pringle said. "Because of these federal cuts, the food is absolutely not there."
The North Carolina Department of Commerce says there are approximately 82,000 federal workers in the state. Burger's pantry can supply food to 50 more furloughed families working without a paycheck before supply runs out."
"So, there's a little bit of room for flex but not a ton," Burger said.
With looming uncertainty about when the federal shutdown will end, Burger says the unpredictability is trickling down to food pantry shelves.