YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio- A Poland church helped put food in the mouths of thousands of Valley residents Saturday morning.

New Life Church sponsored a food giveaway at the Covelli Centre, where people began lining up as early as 5:30 a.m.

Paula Lewis of Youngstown said the need is great for people in her situation.

"There's lots of people who need food. And you run out of food. I'm on social security and my check doesn't make it all the whole month. So this is like getting something extra, so I can eat and help feed my little babies and stuff," Lewis said.

Approximately 200,000 pounds of food was distributed at the event, which will go to feed 2,400 families.

Pastor Juan Rivera said the volunteers were integral in helping to distribute such a vast quantity of food.

"They're getting loaded up. They're getting down to the end of the line, saying 'We need help to load this stuff up.' Thank God we've got incredible volunteers here. We've got wagons. They're getting probably 50 to 60 pounds of food," Rivera said.

Mike Iberis of the Second Harvest Food Bank said there has been a jump in the number of people who come to the food bank looking for help.

"The Second Harvest Food Bank feeds about 11,000 people a week in the three-county area. And that number has skyrocketed in the last six months," Iberis said.