An increase in demand, and decline in donations worries mid-michigan food bank director David Karr.

"As the market contracts, less surplus food is available. Really food banks, thats what they lived on for a long time," Karr said.

The lack of surplus foods and donations has forced the food bank to have to buy food to keep products on the shelves.

"We're out buying more food, we're purchasing more food," Karr said. "We're going out and finding the best deals so we can make a package for a family of four to last a week."

The food bank has seen an increase as people's unemployment benefits run out.

"There used to be able to make ends meat or get a package. Now, they are coming down, saying, it didnt last as long," Karr said. "Can I get more food because i couldn't stretch it. I couldn't make it through the end of the month."

Many people are used to donating food around the holidays- but folks here at the mid-Michigan food bank say that the summer months find an even greater demand for food.

"Kids are out of school and no longer elliegble for the breakfast, lunch federal programs, so we see clients that we may not see during the rest of the year," Grimwood said.

Philip Grimwood, from Helping Hands Food Pantry in Charlotte, said many people seeking food are not repeat customers, but have recently come on hard times.

"Somewhere around forty percent of our clients have never been to a food pantry before," Grimwood said.

Karr said donations of non-perishable items are key to keeping the food bank's shelves stocked, helping supply the 200 different food pantries in mid-Michigan.