my family is sort of in a bind. >> reporter: taylor is out of a job. she's usually working a concession stand at chicago's wrigley field. today she's one of 800 people picking up boxes of food at the ballpark. since the covid outbreak, demand at this makeshift pantry is up 300%. >> we used to think it wouldn't happen to us, but now we know. we got this rude awakening. >> reporter: a rude awakening for 26.4 million newly unemployed. in newark, new jersey, 2,000 boxes of food were gone in hours. >> go, go. >> reporter: in california, car lines stretch for miles. >> there's a lot of people here. >> reporter: tonight, the food supply itself under threat. at least 21 plants closed, more than 4,000 workers sick. millions of pounds of meat will likely go to waste. the president will sign an executive order under the defense production act to compel plants to stay open. >> there's plenty of supply. it's distribution, and we will probably have that today solved.