The Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina and its 700 partner agencies have seen a 42% increase in the number of people needing services, and State Treasurer Dale R. Folwell helped the nonprofit organization by returning missing funds that had wound up in the Unclaimed Property Division of the Department of State Treasurer.
He presented the organization with a check for more than $2,500.
Jessica Whichard, vice president of communications and public policy for the food bank, said every dollar donated provides for five meals, so the $2,515 from UPD would provide about 12,600 meals.
According to the food bank, more than 500,000 people in its service area are food insecure, not always knowing where their next meal will come from.