TACOMA - With more people visiting Washington state's food banks than ever before, the need for additional help is becoming desperate.

There's a new push to get the state's agricultural companies to donate more food. And at the same time, ordinary citizens are becoming more involved in trying to help out.

More than 1,000 people hit the pavement this Sunday afternoon in Tacoma - to think about food, and those who just don't get enough of it.

Reminders were posted along the route of the Pierce County Hunger Walk, with volunteers hoping to raise more than $200,000.

Gov. Gregoire, who was at the event, talked about big donations that have already been made as part of a new plan to get more of the state's agricultural businesses to increase what they give to food banks.

"So we have seen an unprecented number of people having to come in and access our food banks than what we've seen in recent memory," Gregoire said.

State officials say that because of the slowing national economy and dramatic increases in food prices at grocery stores, food banks are helping roughly 30 percent more people - many for the first time - while donations have dropped 15 percent.

Some agricultural companies are eager to do what they can.

J.T. Wilcox of Wilcox Farms says: "When you're in the food business, you know you have a responsibility to take care of your neighbors. There's nothing more important than putting food on the table. So when it comes to a crisis, it's not about money. It's about helping your neighbors."

Still, it's not as easy as walking the food donations from one place to another.

Transportation costs remain a big issue, so the state even freed up $200,000 to help with fuel.

"We (food) producers have done a lot, and we're gonna do more," said West Mathison of Stemilt Growers. "And we're gonna feed more Washingtonians in this state."