Here in the Southern Tier and Finger Lakes regions, thousands of individuals and families struggle daily to make ends meet and to put food on the table. Since the economic downturn in 2008, hunger experts say, the number of people visiting food banks, community pantries and soup kitchens has risen dramatically. According to Feeding America, a hunger-relief organization, the number of food-insecure people -- those who lack access to enough consistent food for an active health life-- spans from 6,400 in Chemung County to 26,000 in Broome County.