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Watch Alicia's full story in the video player below
Inside the Forgotten Harvest warehouse, activity has been going on since well before sunrise, and it will just get busier throughout the day.
That's because workers are busy distributing the food to their 400 distribution partners. I also visited the organization's headquarters recently, and one of its partner food pantries, to see how people are benefiting.
At the food pantry on Detroit's west side, people waited in their cars for their turn to get the food. Forgotten Harvest CEO Adrian Lewis said the line typically stretches down the block.
Lewis was among those who helped hand out food to Detroiters who were grateful for the nutritious food and grocery staples.
“Tomatoes, strawberries, fruit cups, cookies, milk. That's it," Janet Pryor, who was picking up food, told me.
How often do you come?” I asked.
"Every Wednesday. I be here every Wednesday," she said, adding it means a lot to her.
"How important is this food for you?" I asked Dawne Gilson.
"This is so important for me. If I didn't have this, I don't know who could eat," Gilson said.
Mark Craighead, with Freedom Aint Free's Food Pantry on Plymouth Rd. in Detroit, said they start handing out food every Wednesday at 10 a.m.
"They know if they come early, they can get some - because we do run out of food," Craighead said.
"Every single time?" I asked.
"Every single time," he said.
Back at Forgotten Harvest's distribution center and warehouse, Lewis walked me through the 78,000 square foot facility and why the need is so great.
"How many people are food insecure in metro Detroit?" I asked.
"You know, the stats are staggering. One in seven individuals throughout metro Detroit are food insecure. And that's about 589,000 individuals, many of whom, Alicia, are children and seniors. So to me, that's alarming," he said.
TO MAKE A DONATION TO FORGOTTEN HARVEST, CLICK HERE.
Related: Our live interview with Chris Ivey on the work Forgotten Harvest is doing today
With the recently approved cuts to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as food stamps, millions more will become food insecure.
"We often hear about food insecurity and hunger. What is the difference?" I asked Lewis.
"Hunger is a state, right? You're hungry right now and you're desiring food and it's not there. Right? Food insecurity can be described as, you know, you could have had your meal today, but now you're worried about how you're gonna feed your family tomorrow or you're in the classroom as a child and you're wondering if there's really gonna be a meal when you get home for dinner," Lewis said.
Related: The work Forgotten Harvest is doing to provide metro Detroit kids with free summer lunches
Related: Inside Forgotten Harvest's Farm and the volunteers that help run it
He said if you or someone you know is food insecure, it's OK to reach out and ask for help.
Lewis said you can also go to the Forgotten Harvest website to find a mobile pantry near you. You can also click on the map to find one of the more than 220 agencies distributing emergency food assistance to those in need.
