TAMPA, Fla. — The United Food Bank of Plant City is raising money to build a bigger facility in its place due to the increase in people they serve.

The food bank says that the number of people under the poverty level is continuing to increase, so they want to continue helping families keep food on their tables.

The food bank serves a little over 30% of farm-working families, which are predominantly Hispanic.

Magali Garcia is one person whose family benefits from the food bank. She’s worked there for three years now, helping to bag of meals for families like her own.

The food bank currently receives over 2 million pounds of food, so the need for a bigger facility is a must.

Garcia says she looks forward to picking up her box of food twice a month.

“I feel very thankful when I take a box of food home because it’s like a mysterious box, like you don’t know what you’re going to get. It’s full of surprises.”

Garcia says when she was younger, her family struggled to make ends meet. Growing up in a family of eight people and a family of farm workers having to migrate from state to state was difficult.

Since finding out about the food bank, it has helped her family immensely.

She recalls the first time she picked up her box of food.

“I was just very thankful and grateful.”

The ingredients in each box are helping to keep food on their table and ensure they have a warm meal every day.