OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — The Salvation Army is gearing up for a big day.
The Burrows Center is set to hand out 200 boxes of food for those in need Wednesday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
The distribution is part of the Salvation Army's continued, Metro-wide pandemic relief efforts.
"The Burrows Center happens to be the Salvation Army's busiest food pantry in the Omaha Metro area," Director of Integrated Communications Todd Andrews said.
Andrews said when the pandemic hit, the organization saw a spike in demand for food at the Burrows Center.
"It went up 144% in the first month of the pandemic," Andrews said. "It's plateaued a little bit, but we are still seeing a higher-than-normal demand for sure."
That's why the Salvation Army is holding a contactless, curbside-style drive-thru.
The boxes will be packed with non-perishables as well as produce.
Even before the pandemic hit, roughly 10.5% of all U.S. households experienced food insecurity in 2019, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
That works out to be about 35 million Americans unsure of where their next meal will come from.
Andrews said that's where the Salvation Army steps in to help.
"It really goes back to one of the core things we do at the Salvation Army which is to constantly look down the road and constantly look around us to see what's happening and to know what needs are there in the community and how they are evolving and where they are evolving specifically so we can rise to the occasion and meet that need," Andrews said.
Anyone is welcome to pick up food at Wednesday's event. If you can't make it, but are in need of food, the Burrows Center is open 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Mon-Tues and Thurs-Fri.