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Harvest Hope Food Bank seeing record demand amid COVID-19

The organization has seen a 40 percent increase in demand for food, according to staff.

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Harvest Hope Food Bank has been feeding the community for decades. 

Now, as the coronavirus threat continues, they've seen a spike in the numbers of those in need.

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"The line this morning was wrapped all the way down Beltline Boulevard," Taylor Davids, who works for the organization, said. "People just still really need help. We've seen a 40 percent increase in the last four months compared to last year."

They typically see up to 150 families during a normal giveaway, according to Davids. Now, they can see more than 300 in a day.

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"I wasn't expecting it to be this large of a need. It was just really like a culture shock when I first came in," Carmen Goosby, a volunteer, said.

They're asking for donations and volunteer support to help meet the need.

"Today is for someone else, but tomorrow may be for yourself, so, I totally encourage... anyone to volunteer," Goosby said.

To learn more about how to help, visit Harvest Hope online.

RELATED: 1,629 new SC virus cases, 19 additional deaths

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