SACRAMENTO, Calif. —

Joey's Food Locker at Natomas High School is set to distribute Thanksgiving meals to over 1,000 families on Friday, with community support helping the food pantry meet the increased demand.

“We'll do our best to make sure we serve every family that comes through our line,” said Osvaldo Ortiz, manager of Joey's Food Locker, on Thursday.

Ortiz said he has seen the needs of Sacramento County families grow substantially over the last five years and that those needs became even more apparent during the recent government shutdown. The food pantries weekly average has risen, he said, by roughly 150 families in recent weeks.

"We provide food for families not just in the Natomas community, but also in the region," he said.

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