Canned corn, green beans and big jars of pickles are stacked to the ceiling at MANNA FoodBank’s distribution center on Swannanoa River Road, yet even this well-stocked warehouse isn’t enough to feed the hungry in Western North Carolina.

And despite recent signs that the economy is improving, local food demand hasn’t slowed.

“We’re not seeing a diminished need at all,” notes Communications and Marketing Coordinator Joshua Stack. “Our agencies are reporting they consistently need more food, and we’re struggling to get them enough.”