With a rising demand for food and shrinking donations, Island Harvest pantry organized a food drive in Medford Saturday, collecting canned goods and groceries to help feed struggling families.

?There are tens of thousands of people who are visiting emergency food programs every single week, who are looking for food,? says Randi Dresner, the founder of Island Harvest.

Dresner says she expects to collect over 1 million pounds of food by Christmas. And for the first time this year, she sees that many people who have donated in the past are the ones who need help.

?There's a new face of the hungry on Long Island,? she says. ?Years ago, you talk about low-wage earners and working poor people. But with this economic downturn, we are talking about middle class people who are truly struggling.?

Island Harvest has already received over 25,000 requests for turkeys ahead of this year?s Thanksgiving Day, and although it is early and the group is hopeful, though it is not sure it will meet that goal.

"It's a tough time for the people, I would like to help out as much as I can," says shopper Maria Wall, who donated a turkey and bags of groceries at the Island Harvest food drive.