The Inquirer announced today that it had amassed more than 421,000 pounds of donated food for Philabundance and the Food Bank of South Jersey.

During a press conference at the South Philadelphia headquarters of Philabundance, the region's largest hunger-relief agency, Inquirer publisher Brian P. Tierney said that the paper's food drive, begun in March, "is a way to help neighbors in desperate need."

Philabundance and other agencies calculate that the need for donated food has increased around 30 percent over the last year of extreme economic hardship.

The food from the Inquirer drive is enough to make 1.26 million meals, Tierney added.

He also announced that he would continue the food drive through the summer, in the hope of accumulating another 1 million pounds of food.

The original goal of the food drive was to collect 180,000 pounds of food in 180 days to mark the 180th anniversary of The Inquirer, the third-oldest surviving daily newspaper in the nation, founded in 1829.

Residents of the region were asked to donate food at Inquirer and Philabundance sites, as well as at Acme food stores. They could also give cash.

From 60 to 80 percent of the food amassed for the drive was supplied by Acme through a Philabundance program known as Grocers Against Hunger, said Emily Teel, senior manager of food donations at the agency.

Jay Devine, a spokesman for Tierney praised Acme saying the food company "ratcheted up" the pounds of food donated to the drive.

In the program, Acme and other food stores donate meats and other foods at or near their expiration dates, Teel said. Recently, the program expanded to include cans and dry-food goods as well, she added.

Tom Miller, senior vice president for operations at Acme, acknowledged Acme's donation of Grocers program food for the Inquirer food drive, adding, "It gives people in the community more pride."

Tierney thanked Philabundance and Acme, saying, "They stepped up in a magnificent way."

Food drives alone aren't enough to battle hunger, anti-hunger advocates say.

But, said Martha Buccino, senior vice president of Philabundance, "The public hears about a food drive and it may spur them on to help others."

Ultimately, said Rachel Meeks, food stamp campaign manager for the Greater Philadelphia Coalition Against Hunger, "There is no one solution to ending hunger in our region, so it is crucial that we attack hunger multiple ways.

"While food drives are important, anti-hunger advocates agree that the federal food stamp program is by far the country's best defense against hunger. Food stamps help more than half a million people in Southeastern Pennsylvania buy groceries, pumping over $67 million into the local economy every month."

Contact staff writer Alfred Lubrano at 215-854-4969 or alubrano@phillynews.com.