With a 10-day supply of food in its Honolulu warehouse and the Easter holiday weekend approaching, the Hawaii Foodbank is putting out a call for canned goods and monetary donations.

The food bank usually has enough provisions in its warehouse to cover about 15 to 17 days of distribution.

But demand is up, especially with public school students off for spring break last week and only two school days this week, said food bank grants and communications manager Lori Kaya.

"When students are out of school … we see a spike in the demand for food," Kaya said. "The school breakfasts and lunches aren’t available to children so parents who are low income just find it that much harder to provide meals to their children."

While a recent increase in demand appears to have eaten away at its supplies, overall need has risen in the past five years, she said.

In fiscal year 2012, which ended June 30, it distributed more than 12 million pounds of food.

That’s up from 8.7 million pounds in 2008 and 10.1 million pounds in 2009.

Since July 1, about 8.4 million pounds of food have been distributed.

To keep up with the higher need, the food bank has had to increasingly buy food, rather than relying on donations alone.

In fiscal year 2012, the food bank bought almost 3.4 million pounds of food.

Five years ago, the nonprofit didn’t have to buy any supplies to meet need.

It has been able to set aside money in its annual budgets for food purchases through "more persistent fundraising," Kaya said.

Hawaii Foodbank distributes to food pantries and other nonprofits, which in turn give out the food to those in need.

One of those nonprofits, Hale Ola Ho‘opakolea in Nanakuli, saw more than 120 families brave rainy weather and slick roads Wednesday for a twice-monthly distribution.

Charlene Ching, volunteer coordinator, said the number of people who show up on distribution days appears to be increasing.