HIGH POINT—Hunger is growing in one city, but so is the drive to curb the issue, leading to what one group is calling the city's first ever Food Summit.

For those struggling with hunger, the worry can be all-consuming. 

“Just this past week, I got a phone call from someone looking for assistance, and they were struggling with having to pay their mortgage, pay their light bill, or pay to buy food," said Carl Vierling, Community Resource Network Director.

The Community Resource Network says the City of High Point has sever food deserts. Hundreds of children turn to United Way's Backpack Feeding Program every weekend.

The Open Door Ministries' Father's Table feeds about 10,000 people a month which is about 450 meals a day. 

"I work with six different food pantries, and we're projecting about a 20 percent increase over the last year in the number of people coming to the food pantry," said Vierling. "The situation is growing. A lot of folks we're seeing here have never been to a food pantry before."

Vierling says the High Point, Greensboro area is No. 2 in the nation for food hardship and number four for food insecurity. Those statistics gave rise to the Greater High Point Food Alliance.

It's planning a Food Summit later this month to discuss improving services, urban gardens, budgeting and food education. 

“Try to get people who are experiencing hunger to come out and talk with people at the city level, people who are leaders in the community, to really help form solutions across the city that are the kinds people in neighborhoods are looking for," said Joe Blosser, with High Point University.

But group members say they don't just want to put a band-aid on the issue, they want their efforts to have a long-lasting impact. 

“There are a lot of people in town doing good things to address the hunger issue, but we wanted to bring people together to better coordinate and see if there are gaps in services already provided -- and change the conversation in town and move toward a development model," said Blosser.

Members of the alliance include business leaders, community advocates, non-profit leaders, educators from High Point University and more. 

Their summit is scheduled for March 20 and March 21.