New government figures show the number of hungry children in the U.S. is increasing.

The latest figures for 2007 indicate almost 700,000 children went hungry at some point last year. That's up more than 50 percent from the year before.

Food banks across the country believe the numbers will continue to go up. One reason for the increase -- record long lines at pantries and soup kitchens for much of this year.

Gary McDonald is an executive with Feeding America in San Diego.

"We've seen lines as long as 4,500 people long," he said. "It's amazing. People that never had to access food before such as the elderly or working families that have lost their jobs or maybe they're just working to make ends meet."

Bill Horan is the president of the Virgina Beach, Va.- based Operation Blessing International.

"American charities focused on hunger relief are being battered by a perfect storm of events," Horan explained. "A growing tidal wave of newly made poor. A sudden and deepening scarcity of donated food supplies and fuel prices that have our budgets underwater."

CBN News will take an in-depth look at the U.S. economy and hunger on The 700 Club this Friday. Check local listings.

Click the player to watch the CBN News report and how you can help those less fortunate by giving to Operation Blessing.