Some food banks in the Phoenix metro area are reporting a huge increase of people seeking sustenance as unemployment claims continue to grow because of the coronavirus pandemic.
St. Mary's Food Bank served 1,250 people at its largest Phoenix facility on March 23 compared with 495 a week earlier.
A spokesman says St. Mary's has served more than 1,000 people every day since March 17.
The facility had never before served 1,200 people in one day outside of the holiday season.
United Food Bank reports it distributed food to an estimated 2,000 households last Friday at the Mesa Convention Center.
Nearly 89,000 people applied for unemployment benefits last week compared with 3,500 a week before the health crisis.
