TribLIVE's Daily and Weekly email newsletters deliver the news you want and information you need, right to your inbox. Food insecurity is an ongoing problem in the Pittsburgh region, made much worse by the covid-19 pandemic. Area food banks have responded by redoubling their efforts while facing new challenges. With pandemic restrictions putting many American breadwinners out of work or reducing their hours, food banks this year have been serving large numbers of first-time recipients. Food bank network Feeding America says 2020 may end with hunger having affected 50 million people across the nation, including more than 17 million children, because of the pandemic. In an October survey by Danone North America’s Two Good Yogurt and OnePoll, 40% of those responding indicated covid-19 had contributed to their first experience with food insecurity.