When you walk into the Salvation Army Food Pantry, staff members give you enough food for three meals for three days.

It's supposed to be used in emergencies and in Central New York, the need is rising.

"What used to supplement us until June will probably only last us until March at this point," said Salvation Army Director of Emergency Services Allison Brooks.

Brooks says last year the pantry served about 150,000 meals, that's 30% more meals than 2018.

"We haven’t seen numbers like that since the 2009 recession, where the jumps were that big,” Brooks said. “So the numbers just keep increasing and we're not sure how we're going to sustain these numbers."

Over the last few months, about half the families who visited the food pantry were employed or receiving unemployment checks. Brooks says that means they are already doing what they should be doing to make ends meet.

"They can't sustain everything, so this is where they are coming for help,” said Brooks. “Maybe they're paying their rent and their mortgage and paying their car payment, and where they still need help is food. They can't make ends meet, and we're here to meet the need."

More changes to food stamp rules are coming in April, so the Salvation Army expects the demand for food to keep rising.

They're going to work with the Food Bank and other organizations to find a sustainable solution.

The Salvation Army accepts food donations year-round. Canned meat, fruit and vegetables are the items needed most.