Volunteer Ira Thompson straightens the remaining food on the shelves of the Colquitt County Food Bank after Tuesday's distribution.

MOULTRIE, Ga. — The Colquitt County Food Bank has put out a call for help following Hurricane Michael.

The food bank itself weathered the storm well, officials said, but so many families have suffered losses due to the hurricane that they’re stretching the food bank’s resources thin.

“Last week this time, there was nothing here,” day manager Dr. Laura Keith said on Tuesday, waving her hand at shelves with a few dozen containers of canned food.

Keith said the food bank had been seeing a growth in need for at least 18 months or two years, increased by strict work requirements imposed on food stamp recipients. Damage from the storm caused the need to spike.

“Last Tuesday (the day before Michael hit) was one of the busiest days we ever had because people were in a panic,” she said.

And the effects of the storm linger: On Tuesday, three people placed orders for food who still did not have electricity due to the storm, she said.

Much of what the food bank has been able to provide after the storm has come from donations from probationers. The Colquitt County State Court has a program where a probationer can “pay down” his community service work with donations to charitable programs like the food bank. The program delivered a truckload of nonperishable food last week, Keith said.

Food bank Director Andrew Christensen agreed.

“What we’re seeing this week is an increase in activity but also the community response to it,” he said.

Both he and Keith praised National Beef and Sanderson Farms for consistent support. The food bank’s freezer contained a handful of boxes marked National Beef on Tuesday. Keith said before that delivery the freezer was almost empty.

They also expressed appreciation for all the local grocery stores, who have reached out to help.

Even as the need grows due to the storm, food bank officials are looking ahead toward the annual Christmas distribution. The food bank has more than 650 families on a list to receive the makings of a Christmas dinner. It’s to be given out about a week before Christmas, and Christensen hopes the community will help stock the shelves so the food bank will be ready.

To learn how you can help, contact the food bank at 985-7725 between 9 and 11:30 a.m.