- Yeah, imagine a sellout crowd at Bank of America Stadium for a Panthers game.

And another sellout crowd at Spectrum Center for a Hornet's game.

And another sellout crowd at Truist Field for a Knight's game.

Well, that's how many people in a single year get free groceries from this Loaves and Fishes Warehouse.

Those are folks who are out there struggling to make ends meet, who otherwise might not get enough to eat.

(soft music) (cans clanking) There's a week's worth of meals in every cardboard box sliding down the assembly line.

- My job today is the vegetables and this one has got sweet peas, sweet carrots.

- [Jeff] More than 1600 meals on every loaded pallet rolling through the warehouse aisles.

(soft music) - Well, I heard we've already packed our second pallet.

I don't know what a pallet is, but it's a lot.

- [Jeff] Over 11,000 meals packaged up on this morning alone by Loaves and Fishes volunteers.

(soft music) - To see how much you can put together in that short period of time is incredible.

(soft music) The vegetables, you can always mix vegetables with rice or pasta.

If you get creative, there's a lot of dishes you can do with canned goods.

(cans thudding) - Feeding people feels was good.

- [Jeff] But Tina Postel the CEO of Loaves & Fishes says it's not just about their growing numbers.

- We fed over 10,000 people in one month's time.

- [Jeff] But also about all those faces behind the numbers.

- We're seeing seniors on fixed incomes.

We're seeing working families.

The middle class is feeling the pinch too, and they're gainfully employed, but they're living paycheck to paycheck.

So almost half of who we serve are children and seniors.

(soft music) - [Jeff] And for now at least putting food on their tables means putting these groceries in the trunk.

Loading up boxes and bags that become meals on wheels for that once a week, Loaves & Fishes delivery.

(trunk closes) (soft music) - [Neil] So I can drive all over the city.

- [Jeff] We're riding with Neil Tottle, a Loaves & Fishes volunteer.

- Our route today is four stops.

- [Jeff] Who completes that connection with Loaves & Fishes climb.

- [Navigator] Take the next try not to Griffin Street.

- [Jeff] From the food warehouse to their house.

- This is all fresh.

We've got apples and tomatoes and cabbage and potatoes and all kinds of good stuff.

(soft music) So I'm off to the first delivery.

- [Jeff] And despite all the drop-offs on his busy schedule today, Tottle isn't too busy for a little extra help now and then.

(door knocking) - Most of what I get is they come to the door, they open the door and they say thank you.

And I do kind of hang around in case there's somebody I hang just for a minute, in case there's somebody that can't bring it inside for themselves.

Some of them, I have a customer that she can't leave her apartment.

She's just not that healthy.

So you know for people like that we're a godsend because they can't go anywhere.

(soft music) - What's in this warehouse on any given day?

- Well, what you're looking like...

So this is some of the purchased vegetables that we've gotten.

- [Jeff] Another challenge for Loaves & Fishes is finding a way to pay for the extra food they need to feed so many more families now.

(soft music) - We try and keep at least a six month supply of food and then of course as much fresh produce as we can get our hands on.

You know, we wanna be well prepared.

- [Jeff] And extra food also means finding extra space, especially for big donations of perishable items.

- I only have two walk-in coolers right now and it is not uncommon for me to get a phone call from a local distributor who has a tractor trailer load of strawberries.

"Tina, can you take 24 pallets of strawberries?"

I would love nothing more than to take 24 pallets of strawberries, but those have to be refrigerated and I can only take three pallets.

(soft music) - [Jeff] That won't be a problem here at the new Loaves & Fishes Hunger Hub off I85, it's a much bigger warehouse with more and bigger coolers too.

For the fresh food that clients want most.

- I never want to turn food away, especially when it's fresh and healthy.

So having 10 times the amount of cold storage, I'll say yes to it all.

Hey Janice.

- [Jeff] The Loaves & Fishes Hunger Hub also has plans for a big commercial kitchen to prepare the hot meals they deliver in their friendship trays program.

(soft music) - How many bananas?

- Get a bunch.

- [Jeff] And a teaching kitchen, so families who shop healthy for themselves in these Loaves & Fishes free pantries can also learn how to cook healthy for themselves.

Turning that cart full of no-cost groceries.

- I got spaghetti, I got some hamburger, I got some canned goods.

I got some vegetables.

- [Jeff] Into a better breakfast, lunch and dinner.

- And this place is amazing.

They have probably saved my life a couple times.

Let me come in here and get groceries.

- [Jeff] Got a full cart today.

- I know it's a blessing.

(Nikki laughs) And they make me feel really welcome when I come in here.

- That's the heart of our operation, that love that dignity because we will feed you.

Like it's just working up the courage to make the phone call and tell somebody that you need help.

(soft music) - The CEO of Loaves & Fishes adds that a lot of their clients are facing a perfect storm of not just those higher food prices, but also the end of government help programs after Covid.

And for them struggling to get back on their feet and to get enough to eat often starts right here in this warehouse with those weekly free groceries.