The Renewal Food Bank in Bellevue has expanded in size, nearly doubling the square footage of storage and food supply space. The new renovation has come just in time, as the numbers of individuals and families served continues to increase. For the first time in the food bank’s 11-year history, the number of people served in one month’s time reached nearly 3,000.

According to Renewal Food Bank Director Rich Bowen, the month of February was up 33 percent from last year, bringing in an additional 1,000 people requesting food and supplies. The newly expanded storefront, housing canned and non-perishable foods, now allows for more people to enter at a time.

“The extra space means fewer people have to wait in line outside in the cold and rain,” said Gabriella Van Breda of World Impact Network. “We can serve more people and do our part to help the community in these tough times.”

The food bank opens its doors on Monday and Wednesday of each week and provides services with no questions asked.

“We served around 230 people in the two days we were open this week,” Van Brenda said, adding, “I think that speaks to the climate of the economy right now.”

The Renewal Food Bank is a project of the World Impact Network, a local non-profit that works to meet the needs of the poor locally and globally to help restore human dignity. In order to meet the rising demands of food security for hungry families living in Bellevue, World Impact Network implemented the ‘Piggy Parade’ fund raising campaign in 2008. The money raised was used to expand the multi-portable facility which sits in the back parking lot of Bellevue Foursquare Church.

The shelves in the food bank are stocked, but Bowen fears that come summer, the food bank will be hurting for donations.

“The holiday’s are always our busiest times with giving individuals, businesses and, of course, schools,” he explained. “Come summer, the donations tend to slow, but that is when we need it most. Kids are out of school and don’t have the reduced-cost or free lunches provided by some Bellevue schools.”

The food bank welcomes donations and volunteers year-round. A group of Woodridge Elementary students, part of the Woodridge Helping Hands community service club, stopped by the food bank this past week. The students pitched in, stocking shelves and portioning out food.

“We can use all the help we can get,” said Bowen. “The community needs the food bank now more than ever.”

The food bank is part of the Northwest Harvest Hunger Relief Network and a partner agency of Food Lifeline.

Lindsay Larin can be reached at 425.453.4602.

Renewal Food Bank, 2015 Richards Road, 425-643-8246, www.worldimpactnetwork.org