Vehicles line up for food distribution in Clermont, Florida, on November 21.
With people out of work, food banks are stepping up
Vehicles line up for food distribution in Clermont, Florida, on November 21.
Paul Hennessy/SOPA Images/Shutterstock

Updated 12:12 PM EST, Mon November 30, 2020

The coronavirus pandemic has put millions of Americans out of work, and many families have been turning to food banks to get by.

Many of these food banks have been offering drive-through services where groceries can be loaded into people's vehicles. We've seen these lines stretch for miles as people seek staples such as milk, eggs, rice and canned goods.

Healthy Waltham, a nonprofit in Massachusetts, usually serves 250-300 people at its monthly food pantry. When it opened for the first time during the pandemic, 900 people showed up.

"We ran out of food in 45 minutes," executive director Myriam Michel told The Boston Globe in April. "The need has increased tremendously."

Krista Garofalo, chief resource officer for the Treasure Coast Food Bank, said they were seeing a lot of new faces.

"Now there's also people that were working but have lost their jobs or had their hours cut," she said in April. "These are people who have never needed assistance before.

"We'll be working in the community as long as we're needed."

Hundreds of homeless people wait in line to receive food from the Los Angeles Mission on the day before Thanksgiving.
Hundreds of homeless people wait in line to receive food from the Los Angeles Mission on the day before Thanksgiving.
Etienne Laurent/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Volunteers prepare Thanksgiving meals at the Salvation Army in Orlando.
Volunteers prepare Thanksgiving meals at the Salvation Army in Orlando.
Paul Hennesy/NurPhoto/Getty Images
Two women take home free meals after waiting in a long line at a high school in South Gate, California, on November 25.
Two women take home free meals after waiting in a long line at a high school in South Gate, California, on November 25.
Allen J Schaben/Los Angeles Times/Shutterstock
Volunteers in Denver work at the Food Bank of the Rockies on November 25.
Volunteers in Denver work at the Food Bank of the Rockies on November 25.
Kevin Mohatt/Reuters
Members of the Indiana National Guard assist food bank volunteers as they distribute Thanksgiving meals in Bloomington, Indiana, on November 20.
Members of the Indiana National Guard assist food bank volunteers as they distribute Thanksgiving meals in Bloomington, Indiana, on November 20.
Jeremy Hogan/SOPA Images/Sipa/AP
People wait in line to receive food at the Bay Area Rescue Mission's Thanksgiving Giveaway in Richmond, California.
People wait in line to receive food at the Bay Area Rescue Mission's Thanksgiving Giveaway in Richmond, California.
David Paul Morris/Bloomberg/Getty Images
Volunteers distribute turkeys and other foods in Clermont, Florida.
Volunteers distribute turkeys and other foods in Clermont, Florida.
Paul Hennessy/SOPA Images/Sipa/AP Images
Cars line up as the Pantry 279 food bank hands out Thanksgiving meals in Bloomington, Indiana.
Cars line up as the Pantry 279 food bank hands out Thanksgiving meals in Bloomington, Indiana.
Jeremy Hogan/SOPA Images/LightRocket/Getty Images
Cars line up at a food distribution site sponsored by local churches and the Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida.
Cars line up at a food distribution site sponsored by local churches and the Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida.
Paul Hennessy/SOPA Images//Shutterstock
A volunteer puts on gloves before packing boxes of food outside the Second Harvest Food Bank in Irvine, California, on November 19.
A volunteer puts on gloves before packing boxes of food outside the Second Harvest Food Bank in Irvine, California, on November 19.
Ashley Landis/AP
Volunteers direct traffic at a food distribution site in Clermont, Florida.
Volunteers direct traffic at a food distribution site in Clermont, Florida.
Paul Hennessy/SOPA Images/Shutterstock
The Food Bank for New York City hosted a pop-up food pantry in September.
The Food Bank for New York City hosted a pop-up food pantry in September.
Michael Loccisano/Getty Images for Food Bank for New York City
Paulina Bastidas-Yale helps distribute food at a Boston church in September.
Paulina Bastidas-Yale helps distribute food at a Boston church in September.
David L. Ryan/The Boston Globe/Getty Images
Boxes of cereal are ready to be distributed at the Hope Rescue Mission in Reading, Pennsylvania, in August.
Boxes of cereal are ready to be distributed at the Hope Rescue Mission in Reading, Pennsylvania, in August.
Ben Hasty/MediaNews Group/Reading Eagle/Getty Images
Volunteer Joseph Cunliffe holds a bag of bread to put in someone's car in Robesonia, Pennsylvania, in August.
Volunteer Joseph Cunliffe holds a bag of bread to put in someone's car in Robesonia, Pennsylvania, in August.
Ben Hasty/MediaNews Group/Reading Eagle/Getty Images
Drivers line up for a pop-up grocery event in Mankato, Minnesota, in July.
Drivers line up for a pop-up grocery event in Mankato, Minnesota, in July.
Ben Brewer/Bloomberg/Getty Images
A volunteer hands two dozen eggs to a Helping Harvest employee to give to someone in their car in Muhlenberg, Pennsylvania, in June.
A volunteer hands two dozen eggs to a Helping Harvest employee to give to someone in their car in Muhlenberg, Pennsylvania, in June.
Ben Hasty/MediaNews Group/Reading Eagle/Getty Images
Volunteers load plastic bags with food in Everett, Massachusetts, during a weekly food pantry service run by Grace Ministries of the North Shore.
Volunteers load plastic bags with food in Everett, Massachusetts, during a weekly food pantry service run by Grace Ministries of the North Shore.
Joseph Prezioso/AFP/Getty Images
People line up for food assistance in Waltham, Massachusetts, in April.
People line up for food assistance in Waltham, Massachusetts, in April.
Erin Clark/The Boston Globe/Getty Images
People wait in their cars for the San Antonio Food Bank to begin distributing food in April.
People wait in their cars for the San Antonio Food Bank to begin distributing food in April.
William Luther/The San Antonio Express-News/AP
Volunteers at the Capital Area Food Bank pack up boxes of food to be distributed in Washington, DC.
Volunteers at the Capital Area Food Bank pack up boxes of food to be distributed in Washington, DC.
Drew Angerer/Getty Images
Volunteers and city employees prepare to hand out bags of food at a drive-through site in Opa-locka, Florida, in April. The food was provided by the food bank Feeding South Florida.
Volunteers and city employees prepare to hand out bags of food at a drive-through site in Opa-locka, Florida, in April. The food was provided by the food bank Feeding South Florida.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images
Gladys Socop helps to bag up food while volunteering at a pop-up food pantry in Chelsea, Massachusetts.
Gladys Socop helps to bag up food while volunteering at a pop-up food pantry in Chelsea, Massachusetts.
Erin Clark/The Boston Globe/Getty Images
National Guard members help pack food boxes at the Nourish Pierce County food bank in Tacoma, Washington.
National Guard members help pack food boxes at the Nourish Pierce County food bank in Tacoma, Washington.
Ruth Fremson/The New York Times/Redux
A line of cars waits to receive food at a distribution site in Van Nuys, California, in April.
A line of cars waits to receive food at a distribution site in Van Nuys, California, in April.
Mario Tama/Getty Images
Bags of fruit await residents during a food drive in Waltham, Massachusetts.
Bags of fruit await residents during a food drive in Waltham, Massachusetts.
Erin Clark/The Boston Globe/Getty Images
A volunteer in Phoenix hands over a box donated by St. Mary's Food Bank in April. The drive-through was set up for the general public on the campus of Phoenix College.
A volunteer in Phoenix hands over a box donated by St. Mary's Food Bank in April. The drive-through was set up for the general public on the campus of Phoenix College.
Ross D. Franklin/AP
Volunteers with Forgotten Harvest load food into vehicles at a mobile pantry in Detroit.
Volunteers with Forgotten Harvest load food into vehicles at a mobile pantry in Detroit.
Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
Volunteer Maria Cunningham sorts through bags of food before distributing them at a church in Des Moines, Iowa, in April.
Volunteer Maria Cunningham sorts through bags of food before distributing them at a church in Des Moines, Iowa, in April.
Jack Kurtz/Zuma
Volunteers in Orlando hand out food from the Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida.
Volunteers in Orlando hand out food from the Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida.
Paul Hennessy/Sipa/AP
Cars line up in a mall parking lot that was the site of a drive-through food pantry in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Cars line up in a mall parking lot that was the site of a drive-through food pantry in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Neil Blake/AP
Volunteer David Mack hands a woman food at the First AME Church in Athens, Georgia.
Volunteer David Mack hands a woman food at the First AME Church in Athens, Georgia.
Joshua L. Jones/Athens Banner-Herald/USA Today
Donated supplies wait for distribution at the Capital Area Food Bank in Washington, DC.
Donated supplies wait for distribution at the Capital Area Food Bank in Washington, DC.
Alex Edelman/AFP/Getty Images
A volunteer holds fruit while helping to distribute food at Pantry 279 in Ellettsville, Indiana.
A volunteer holds fruit while helping to distribute food at Pantry 279 in Ellettsville, Indiana.
Jeremy Hogan/Barcroft Media/Getty Images
An employee of the Food Bank for New York City transports a pallet of groceries in April.
An employee of the Food Bank for New York City transports a pallet of groceries in April.
David Dee Delgado/Getty Images
Treasure Coast Food Bank volunteer Lynn Goeke loads a box of apples into a vehicle during a drive-through food distribution in Fort Pierce, Florida.
Treasure Coast Food Bank volunteer Lynn Goeke loads a box of apples into a vehicle during a drive-through food distribution in Fort Pierce, Florida.
Leah Voss/TCPalm/USA Today
People line up for food at Sharing & Caring Hands, a charity in Minneapolis, in March.
People line up for food at Sharing & Caring Hands, a charity in Minneapolis, in March.
David Joles/Star Tribune/AP