The United Food Bank announced Monday that its fifth annual Summer of a Million Meals Campaign was actually a summer of 3 million meals.

Each year, United Food Bank and 12 News sponsor the campaign to help feed Arizonans facing food insecurity.

This summer the effort raised $619,409, helping provide 3,096,145 meals, the Mesa-based organization stated in a release.

"This year's Summer of a Million Meals campaign didn't raise a million meals, it didn't raise 2 million meals, it raised 3 million meals,” Dave  Richins, CEO  and president of United Food Bank, said.

“It's exciting to see all of our supporters rally together this summer and triple our meal goal. We are so grateful to each and every one of you that donated. We couldn't do it without you."

The added support this year was critical, according to food bank officials, because grocery prices for food at home have risen 13.5% based on the Consumer Price Index.

The food bank knows well how inflation has made it tougher for many to shop at the grocery store.

In 2020, food bank officials said they paid $17.88 for a case of canned chicken. In 2022, that rose to $30.72 for the same product.

 From June to August, the demand for emergency food bags has increased 23%, according to the food bank.

The organization offered a special thank you to its corporate partners:

• Kroger Co. Foundation, 250,000 meals.
• Wells Fargo Foundation, 175,000 meals.
• Silicon Valley Bank, 75,000 meals.
• Whataburger Restaurants, 75,000 meals.
• Resolution Copper, 62,500 meals.
• Pinpoint Leak Detection, 62,500 meals.
• Waymo, 62,500 meals.
• Tegna Foundation, 60,000 meals.
• Toyota Foundation, 25,000 meals.
   
  Fry's Food Stores also was host to a Summer of a Million Meals - Donate at the Register all summer, netting an additional $171,766 that will benefit the United, St. Mary's and Community food banks, according to the release.