Thousands line up at US food banks as Trump tries to assure a 'big bounce' is on the way

Food bank CEO forced to call restaurant suppliers urging them to feed families in need amid unprecedented hunger crisis

The number of Americans seeking aid has soared in recent weeks, with 10,000 families arriving at one California food bank in a single day, as Donald Trump attempts to reassure a "big bounce" is coming.

While the president claims a major economic recovery is on the way, nearly 17 million Americans have already filed for unemployment benefits during the coronavirus pandemic — an unprecedented surge after years of consistently low unemployment figures, the likes of which the nation had never seen before in its history.

Food banks across the country have meanwhile faced severe supply strains as the US National Guard was deployed in some states to help cope with the influx of new people seeking emergency aid.

In San Antonio, California, the San Antonio Food Bank said it received more than 10,000 families who arrived on Thursday to pick up emergency food.

Local reports said the food bank had only prepared for 6,000 families to arrive that day, leaving its CEO forced to call local supply chains serving restaurants in the area and urge them to donate their food to the families in need.

“I wish we could've got to them faster and been able to meet that need a little smoother than having to sit out in a parking lot and wait, but it was just unprecedented,” San Antonio Food Bank CEO Eric Cooper told California’s Kens5 Eyewitness News, adding: “The need is so great at this time.”

Some reports estimated a third of those seeking relief from food banks across the country in recent weeks have never previously sought emergency aid, reflecting the profound impact the novel virus has had on the nationwide economy. Hundreds of millions of Americans remain living under some form of stay-at-home orders, with countless small businesses, restaurants and venues closing their doors to the public for the foreseeable future.

Still, the president has attempted to instil calm over the economy in recent days, assuring a comeback was all but inevitable when the country “reopens” in the coming months.

“I’m not sure a lot of people will ever be the same, but I think our country — from an economic standpoint — will end up being stronger than ever,” Mr Trump said at a White House press briefing on Thursday.

“We have tremendous stimulus plans,” he claimed. “Things in the works that are going to really — I think — fire the country. I think that what’s going to happen is we’re going to have a big bounce rather than a small bounce, but we will be back.”

His comments came after the Democratic-held US House of Representatives shot down a second Republican relief package for small businesses, with Democrats alleging the package was a political stunt orchestrated by the Republicans and not actually useful in providing relief to companies impacted by Covid-19.

Congress has previously passed a historic $2tn relief package for businesses and Americans, including cash payments of $1,200 to all citizens who make less than $75,000 annually. It remains unclear when exactly that relief will reach taxpayers.