KLF provides emergency food assistance to residents of Kalamazoo County. We provide a need-based service and rely on self-declaration of need to determine eligibility. While everyone in the county is eligible, most of those served are low and very-low income people. Nearly 50% of those served are children or senior citizens (65+). Hunger continues to grow in Kalamazoo County and the demand for emergency food supplies and free meals has increased steadily. In 2005, we distributed over 700,000 pounds of food. Despite our best efforts, our twenty-one pantries are consistently filled to capacity at the end of the month. When the pantries are full, many clients are forced to call back the next business day to try again to secure emergency food assistance. Hunger continues to grow in Kalamazoo County and the demand for emergency food supplies and free meals has increased steadily. In 2005, we distributed over 700,000 pounds of food. Despite our best efforts, our twenty-one pantries are consistently filled to capacity at the end of the month. When the pantries are full, many clients are forced to call back the next business day to try again to secure emergency food assistance. Last fall, KLF underwent a strategic planning process to increase the number of households we can serve. Specific 3-5 year goals of the planning process include: -Support vulnerable pantry system -Increase food distributed by 75% -Develop alternative distribution methods -Expand community relationshipsWe have already begun to implement this plan to increase our ability to provide emergency food assistance.