The economic recession of 2008 intensified the effects of poverty for low-income Americans. The subsequent recovery has not improved their lives. Many are left with little choice but to rely on the emergency food assistance network as a normal part of their strategy to supplement monthly food shortfalls. Government assistance, which comes primarily in the form of SNAP benefits, are not enough for food insecure people to access food throughout the entire month. The new normal is that food banks fill the gap left, each month, when government benefits run out. Can the food bank network meet this increase in demand and is it secure enough to be the consistent food source for those people that will depend on it for years to come. This thesis reviews the food security network and its ability to secure itself to meet the increased and persistent demand of post-recession food insecurity. It examines who food banks serve, how they have met the challenges of the new normal, and the innovative ways they are trying to produce their own food supply. It will also highlight the benefits of growing their own food.