RENO, NV - Local food banks are having trouble keeping food on their shelves.

The Salvation Army in Reno is out of two staples: peanut butter and jelly. They normally put them in bags of food the distribute to people in need, but this week, the bags are a little lighter than usual.

"Over the last two years, we've seen a fifty percent increase in demand for assistance with food," said Major Michale Zielinski, an Administrator with the Salvation Army.

All that demand makes it hard for them to keep up. One of the growing sectors of need in the community is middle class families. Many have lost their jobs, or aren't making enough money to put food on the table, and that's affecting more than just the nearly empty shelves.

"Typically that middle class household has also been a donor to us. So, as a result, we're going to see less dollars and resources come in," said Zielinski.

With foreclosures, utility and gasoline costs going up, the Food Bank of Northern Nevada says it's running into some of the same issues as the Salvation Army.

"We do have a lot of empty shelves," said Jocelyn Lantrip, the Marketing and Communications Manager for the Food Bank of Northern Nevada.

She says the Food Bank has seen a rising need over the past three years, and many people are coming in to ask for help for the first time in their lives.

"We've just seen more and more people needing food assistance. It's definitely telling of the economy that middle class families are being affected," said Lantrip.

More and more children are in need of food assistance, too. The Food Bank of Northern Nevada reports 46% of who they serve are kids. That's more than 70,000 children each year.

If you'd like to donate, there are ways you can help.

To donate to the Salvation Army, you can drop off household items to any of their locations. You can also mail them a check at 1931 Sutro, Reno, NV 89512.

To donate to The Food Bank of Northern Nevada, you can donate to any Goodwill Donation Center. You can also donate online by contributing to their Virtual Food Drive.