As children are released from school for the summer, families dealing with food insecurity are at a higher need. The Salvation Army is struggling to feed them.

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. — Evelyn Duenas, a mother of five, walked out of the Salvation Army’s food pantry in Williamsburg with a smile on her face Wednesday afternoon.

A cart full of food gave her hope that her children wouldn’t go hungry with the start of summer.

“When they go to school, they get breakfast and lunch, but when they get out, we have to provide them with three meals, and we're a big family," said Duenas.

The Salvation Army has been her family’s lifeline during tough times throughout the last decade.

“My husband is the only one working right now, and we're a family of seven. It's not easy,” said Duenas.

With the start of summer, the needs of many low-income families have spiked.



The food pantry provides between 70 to 90 families with food every month. During the summer, even more families visit the pantry to receive food bags.

The sharp spike has led to empty shelves and a struggle to provide food for those who need it.

Lt. Jeremy Lind, Corps Officer of the Salvation Army in Williamsburg, said the organization is in dire need of donations.

“If someone comes to The Salvation Army and presents themselves as being hungry, then we want to be able to meet that need,” said Lt. Lind. “We can only meet that need through the help of the community.”

With more families in need of food, volunteers like Edwin Velez Rivera were busy packing bags of food.

Each bag Rivera packed was his way of giving back to the community.

“Growing up, I didn't have the benefits that I enjoy now,” said Rivera. “I grew up in Puerto Rico, and the circumstances were pretty tight.”

The bags Rivera packed went home with Duenas.

“We thank god,” said Duenas. “Because the Salvation Army has helped us so much.”

If you'd like to help, the Salvation Army is in need of donated non-perishable food items.

