The need at the Second Harvest food banks of San Mateo and Santa Clara counties echo the alarming picture of food insecurity painted by a national report released this week, according to food bank officials.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture report showed that 49 million Americans lack consistent access to an adequate amounts of nutritional food — a figure that pencils out roughly to one in six adults. The statistic is the highest since the federal government began tracking such data 14 years ago.

As national hunger-relief charity officials compare the situation to living in a third-world county — as Feeding America CEO Vickie Escarra did following the report’s release — local officials say the situation is no different here. In fact, Cindy McCown, senior director of programs and services at Second Harvest, said the picture is worse with an estimated one in four people in the area at risk for hunger.

The food bank saw a 23 percent increase for services over the previous year for the quarter ending Sept. 30. For the first time, the food bank reports seeing clients with solid work histories now coping with lengthy unemployment, reduced work hours and an inability to afford enough nutritious food for themselves and their families.

The food bank is hoping enough donations come through to keep up with requests for food aid but so far are seeing a “significant decline” compared to last year, according to Second Harvest CEO Kathy Jackson.

The food bank provides food for 316 smaller nonprofit agencies, which in turn operate more than 800 food distribution sites.

The bank hopes to collect two million pounds of non-perishable food and $10 million this holiday season.

“We remain confident that the community will continue to do what they can to make sure that hungry people in our community have the food they need to live healthy, productive lives,” Jackson said in a prepared statement.

Donations can be made on line at SHFB.org or by calling (866) 234-3663.