PHOENIX — Food insecurity is rising in Arizona, and Desert Mission Food Bank in north Phoenix is feeling the strain.
The north Phoenix food bank, run by HonorHealth, now serves roughly 6,000 individuals each month, which has now tripled what it handled just a few years ago, back in 2021.
To keep up, staff say they need about 30 volunteers a day, or 135 per week, to help sort food, bag produce, serve families, and assemble snack packs for kids.
While the rise in demand means they will need volunteers year-round, summer is the most critical time of year.
"Right now, in particular, all of the students have gone back to school, and the snowbirds aren't quite here yet. So we have this gap,” Krystina Toscas, Desert Mission Engagement Manager, said.
Toscas says every hand makes a difference. Volunteers can take on two-hour shifts between Monday through Friday and on select special events. Anyone interested in helping can sign up at DesertMission.com/Volunteer.
