HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) — It was all hands on deck Wednesday as nonprofits worked to deliver meals to those who experience food insecurity.

“Food insecurity has no face, has no name,” Jamie Hughes, the relationship manager at The Hometown Foundation, said. “It really can affect anyone — your neighbor, a family member. And that’s when, I think, people really feel it hit home.”

The Hometown Foundation kicked off its Hungerless Holidays program, which partners with other organizations to help feed those in need.

At House of Bread in Hartford, unfamiliar faces are showing up needing help.

“We’re seeing a whole new clientele,” Sister Theresa Fonti said. “Our guests now, many of them are young.”

The president and CEO of Connecticut Foodshare, Jason Jakubowski, said the uptick is being seen across the state.

“The good news is that the numbers aren’t as high as they were at the peak of the pandemic,” he said. “The bad news, of course, is that we are nowhere close to being where we were pre-pandemic.”

That means there are still 425,000 people in Connecticut who are food insecure. Jakubowski said that with Gov. Ned Lamont expanding SNAP in October, up to 40,000 more households are now eligible for benefits.

“Those are the types of people that, maybe pre-pandemic, did not need SNAP benefits because they were just over the line and able to provide,” Jakubowski said. “Now, they’re in a situation of despair.”

Lamont attended Wednesday’s Hunger Banquet fundraiser at House of Bread. He said that help is available.

“We’re here to make your life a little bit easier,” Lamont said. “We can provide you the job training, the skills you need to help you get back on your feet. We’ll do anything we can to give you the very best opportunity.”