FIND Food Bank is in dire need of volunteers

Calling all volunteers! FIND Food Bank is in need of people to lend a helping hand.

The Army National Guard is only expected to stick around until September. National guardsmen filled food banks across the United States to step in where help was needed.

Now that extra helping hand will come to an end next month, which leaves the food bank hoping its usual volunteers make their way back.

Josh Fryday, State of California's Chief Service Officer visited the food bank to help put the word out help was needed.

“As their service draws down we’re asking more people in the community to step up who are healthy to volunteer and help come and serve here,” he said.

During the last year and a half, the food bank has helped feed thousands of people.

Before COVID, it helped feed about 90,000 people on average every month. During the height of the pandemic, Debbie Espinosa, CEO of FIND Food Bank said that number was at 190,000. Now as things return to normal, that number is at 150,000.

The Food Bank helped people the best it can through the pandemic, and it wasn't without the help of the state and volunteers who continued to show up.

With the need still being great, desert cities made the commitment to help the food bank while the need is urgent. This includes Indio, La Quinta, Palm Desert, Palm Springs, Desert Hot Springs, Coachella, Riverside County, and Rancho Mirage. Each city chose a month out of the next year to dedicate time and staff to volunteer.