BOERNE, Texas -- A food pantry for the needy in Boerne is in need of some help of its own.

The Hill Country Family Services food pantry is running low on food after seeing an increase in clients needing their services.

"More and more people are coming through our doors and saying they're losing their jobs, they need help," said Cookie Edwards, the operating director of the pantry. "We're trying to feed more people each month. We're up 20 percent just last month from the month before."

The increased demand for food, up 30 percent from one year ago, coupled with the typical drop in donations that happens every summer has left the pantry struggling. Just last week, the shelves were nearly empty, Edwards said. In order to stretch what they had, clients were given less food.

"That was hard to tell people that we were having to give them less and less and food because we were out of food," said Edwards.

To make sure the 185 families they serve have food, Edwards sent out an e-mail pleading for help. In just a few days, donations picked up and the empty shelves began to fill up.

"I brought beans and rice and pasta, macaroni and cheese," said Janet O'Day as she dropped of several bags of food to the pantry Thursday afternoon.

O'Day works for a local church and received the e-mail sent out by Edwards. As her church was gathering up donations, O'Day decided to do a little shopping of her own.

"I decided I have been blessed with much and I can bring something that would help out," she said.

Edwards said people wanting to help can either donate money or drop off non-perishable food items to the pantry located at 118 W. Advogt in Boerne. The organization also needs volunteers to drive to San Antonio once a month to pick up several hundred pounds of food from the San Antonio Food Bank.

While the shelves are fairly well-stocked right now, pantry volunteers said the food will likely only last another week, then they'll be right back where they started. But, no matter how dire the situation is Edwards promises no one who needs their services will go without.

"The thing that we say here, if anybody comes in here for food they walk out with food," she said.