The Food Bank of Northern Nevada is seeing record numbers of food requests since the pandemic. The hardest hit month so far has been April. Last year mobile harvest events they served about 8,900 people. This year that number shot up to over 28,000 hungry Northern Nevadans.

"That is a really sharp increase, one that we have never seen. During the recession, we were helping about 103,000 people per month, so we have never seen numbers like this," said Jocelyn Lantrip, Director of Marketing & Communications for the Food Bank of Northern Nevada.

In all, the food bank helped over 125,000 people during the month of April alone, and are still assisting over 112,000 a month since.  That's a big increase over the 91,000 a month compared to last year.

"When we delivered boxes or delivered meals to these people, you could see the grateful, you could the people who were just so grateful to get some food, to have that contact, to have somebody who cared," said Karalyn Mumm, a volunteer at The Food Bank of Northern Nevada.

Luckily, with the food that the Food Bank of Northern Nevada has on hand and donations from the community, they have not had to turn anyone in need away. As well as relying on food donations, the food bank also gets bulk deals on items they purchase -- this allows every dollar they spend to purchase three meals.

They do have a few items that are always in need.

"We are looking for basics like entrees, one dish meals like soups and stews, chilies, also canned fruits and vegetables are always needed," said Lantrip.

With everything else going on, from looking for work to distance learning, the food bank says access to food should be the last thing for people to worry about.

"We don't want food to be the thing that doesn’t happen. It's really hard for people to cope with issues and a lot of different problems in their life if they don’t have the food they need to eat."

If you want to help out and donate food or money, they have a drive-by food drive coming up this Thursday.

"We will take those donations right out of their cars, we will be wearing masks, we ask that they do as well, it will be safe and also a touch free experience," said Lantrip.

That drive-by food drive going on this Thursday from 9 a.m. to noon at the Nevada State Bank in at 190 Damonte Ranch Parkway.

You can also donate by text. Just text the word “feednv” to 50155 and it will prompt you for a dollar amount.

For more information on donating, volunteering or more about the Food Bank of Northern Nevada, you can go to fbnn.org.