BATON ROUGE - The Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank is looking to the public for assistance in the way of food supplies. 

According to The Advocate, as members of the community purchase bulk supplies of food items for their own pantries, the food bank's supplies are dwindling. 

Mike Manning, president of The Food Bank, says, "Our inventory is down significantly. We're looking at a few weeks left of food, unless we can find relief from the federal government and Feeding America," a national network of more than 200 food banks. 

Generally, most of the United Way-sponsored organization's inventory comes from major grocery stores, national food manufacturers, as well as from the Chicago-based nonprofit organization Feeding America.

But now that local shoppers are buying more than usual, the well of food staples normally reserved for the needy is quickly drying up. 

Despite these concerns, Manning says the food bank intends to continue feeding as many as possible and to expand their efforts by considering the best way to get food to those in the service sector who've lost their jobs due to the pandemic. 

"They're the new people in need, until they start getting benefits," he said. 

When asked if the Food Bank might be in danger of closing, Manning said, "We have to stay open; we're the last line."

The hardworking team at the South Choctaw Drive location works to distribute free food to 115 agencies throughout Louisiana.

Click here for information on how to support the Baton Rouge Food Bank.