The Second Harvest Food Bank has only received half as many donations for its annual food relief campaign as it typically has by this point in the drive.

And the number of people needing food from the charity has gone up.

The Springfield News-Sun holds an annual food relief campaign in collaboration with Catholic Charities and the nondenominational Second Harvest Food Bank of Clark, Champaign and Logan Counties every year, which began Nov. 18.

As of Thursday, less than $6,500 have been donated, down from $15,200 for the same time point in the campaign last year, said Keith Williamson, director of the food bank at 701 E. Columbia St.

“We have 173 people who have responded (with donations), versus 422 this time last year,” he said.

The campaign’s goal is to raise more money than 2011, a total of about $26,200. Monetary donations have decreased since a peak of $31,310 in 2009.

But the number of people who need food has increased at the same time.

Statewide, food banks distributed 45 percent more food in fiscal year 2012 than they did at the height of the recession in 2009.

The local food bank has seen a 75 percent increase in demand the past four years from the 75 agencies it serves, Williamson has said.

“We have anywhere between 85 to 110 new families a month in Clark County,” Williamson said. “These are people that have never asked for help before so the problem is growing still. And with this fiscal cliff and possible cuts to the (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) it will hurt even more.”

In Champaign County, the food banks have seen more than 30 new families a month, he added.

Williamson said there are a number of ways people can donate to the food bank. He said people can send a check for donation in a return envelope that will be inserted in the News-Sun on Dec. 30, or send checks in a separate envelope to Springfield News-Sun Food Relief, P.O. Box 1408S, Springfield, OH 45501.

Those who wish to help can also donate online at www.donate2help.org or www.springfieldnewssun.com/foodrelief.

Staff Writer Andrew McGinn contributed to this report.