The Redwood Empire Food Bank is dealing with unprecedented demand this holiday season. It’s also trying to meet families’ needs while the cost of food continues to rise. The number of households relying on the food bank doubled between October of 2020 and October of 2021. In the year-plus since then, demand is up another 38-percent. Redwood Empire Food Bank is the largest hunger relief program in the North Bay. Organizers are expecting to spend 50-percent more money on food this year compared to last year.