Food pantries running low

Needy families are being turned away from some San Fernando Valley food pantries where supplies have hit near-record lows, forcing at least one location to temporarily close for the first time in more than a decade. Tony Castro and Cindy Von Quednow.

The shortages come as pantries report record high demand for assistance as the recession forces middle-class families to join the poor in the distribution lines.

"We're getting lawyers, teachers and even television writers who are coming for food," said Judy Aguilar, a supervisor at the Van Nuys-based Lutheran Social Services pantry, which feeds 1,300 clients each month. "They're people who might not have needed help in the past, but they do now.