HATTIESBURG, Miss. (WDAM) – The need for food is at an all time high for most Pine Belt food pantries – especially at the Edwards Street Fellowship Center.

Last month, the organization distributed more than 4,000 grocery bags to those in need.

Food packing at the center happens regularly to serve families in 7 counties in the Pine Belt.

Executive Director Ann McCullen said the food pantry serves more than 2,000 households a month, or about 7,000 people.

“We’ll have better assurance that our numbers are accurate,” McCullen said.

The food pantry recently launched a free software system called Service Insight, designed by Feeding America.

The pantry is in the pilot program of the launch as a partner agency with the Mississippi Food Network.

“Once it’s all up and running across the state and they’re done with the pilot training, there will be 252 agencies, soup kitchens, food pantries that will be using this on a daily or weekly basis,” McCullen said.

McCullen said Mississippi Food Network’s mission for this new system is to collect data on the state’s food deserts.

This includes lack of transportation to food and feeding programs.

“They want to make sure they’re working with organizations all over the state of Mississippi where they need to be where people can access them,” McCullen said.

McCullen said for them, it will help with demographics and what types of food should be served to families.

“We just want to make sure we’re doing the best job we can to provide nutritious and nutritious food for all of our neighbors in need,” McCullen said.

The new system also helps them keep up with people’s SNAP benefits.

The food pantry is one of 51 pantries in the pilot program.

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