SCHUYLKILL COUNTY, Pa. — Cars lined up in the Fairlane Village Mall parking lot near Pottsville on Thursday to get their share of groceries from Helping Harvest Food Bank.
Volunteers come to help with the distribution. Jerry Thompson has volunteered with Helping Harvest for seven years and says the need for the mobile market has grown.
"During the pandemic, you know, things were difficult, and then since the increase in prices of things, we've seen an increase in the need for our neighbors, increase in need for the community," Thompson said.
Helping Harvest now holds more than 20 mobile markets each month.
Mike Reppert, a mobile coordinator for Helping Harvest, says they serve about 300 people in the Schuylkill County area.
"I know there's a lot of local donors, both individuals and corporations, that help supply the food that we distribute," Reppert said.
Reppert says they give people meat, rice, and produce, as well as snacks for their furry friends.
With high prices, Susan D'Ambrosio says government assistance isn't enough to cover her grocery bill anymore.
"Food stamps and stuff, so sometimes through inflation, food stamps at certain places it doesn't go very far," D'Ambrosio said.
D'Ambrosio's friend Tina Petit is also on a fixed income.
"My husband is recently retired and has health issues, and we are on a fixed income, so this definitely helps make our dollar stretch," Petit said.
Helping Harvest volunteers say they notice a bigger turnout each time.
You can get more information about food assistance and volunteer opportunities HERE.