(Des Moines, IA) -- The Des Moines Area Religious Council Food Pantry Network sets a new record for single-day assists.
DMARC says they assisted 1,614 people on January 3, 2023. The previous record was set on November 1, 2022, at 1,529 people.
On the organization's website, CEO Matt Unger called it "unexpected."
“To be honest, this caught us a bit by surprise," he wrote. "...it’s just one more reminder that the need in our community is incredibly high right now.”
Last year, they assisted 53,077 people. They say nearly one-third were first-time visitors.
Those numbers are expected to increase in 2023.