MT. VERNON (WSIL) -- Food bank organizers say they continue to see a growing demand for help during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In Mt. Vernon, hundreds of families were in line Saturday morning for a food distribution by the Central Illinois Foodbank out of Springfield.
The organization provided boxes of perishable, as well as non-perishable food items, at no cost.
More than 250 households were able to return home with free groceries, but, as organizers tell News 3, some people had to be turned away after supplies ran out within thirty minutes.
"We had to cut off before we even started handing out because we were just that full," says Partner Resource Coordinator Sarah Bermingham.
"People came early, so, there's definitely a need, and this is a good indication of that need. There's always been a need; the need never went anywhere, but we're definitely seeing a surge in a request for food," says Bermingham.
Food pantries and food banks act as a lifeline for familes struggling to put food on the table currently, so organizers encourage others to help out if they can.
If you would like to donate, or volunteer, just visit or .
Both organizations help feed thousands in South Illinois.
