Long lines are back at food banks around the U.S. as working Americans overwhelmed by inflation turn to handouts to help feed their families.
Feeding America officials say second quarter data won’t be ready until August, but they are hearing anecdotally from food banks nationwide that demand is soaring.
Distribution by the Alameda County Community Food Bank in Northern California has ticked up since hitting a pandemic low at the beginning of this year, increasing from 890 households served on the third Friday in January to 1,410 households on the third Friday in June, said marketing director Michael Altfest.
The Los Angeles bank gave away about 30 million pounds of food during the first three months of this year, slightly less than the previous quarter but still far more than the 22 million pounds given away during the first quarter of 2020. For now, there’s enough food, but there might not be in the future, said Michael G. Manning, president and CEO at Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank in Louisiana. He said high fuel costs also make it far more expensive to collect and distribute food.
Meanwhile, food purchases by the bank have jumped from a monthly average of $250,000 before the pandemic to as high as $1.5 million now because of food prices. Rocketing gasoline costs forced the bank to increase its fuel budget by 66%, Altfest said. He said the food bank has already ordered and paid for whole chickens, stuffing, cranberries and other holiday feast items it will distribute for Thanksgiving, the busiest time of the year.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Long Island beach reopens after shutdown due to shark sightingTobay Beach on Long Island is open to swimmers after a shark sighting shut it down on Thursday.
Read more »
Betty the sea otter, named after Betty White, dies at Long Beach's Aquarium of the PacificBetty White and her namesake met when she visited the Aquarium in 2012 for her ninetieth birthday.
Read more »
Why there are more shark sightings on Long IslandBeachgoers on New York's Long Island are on the lookout for sharks after five shark attacks in just the last two weeks.
Read more »
Sea Otter Named for Betty White Dies at Long Beach's Aquarium of the PacificBetty the sea otter, who was named for “Golden Girl” and animal lover Betty White and spent her life enchanting visitors at Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, has died of causes that are so far unknown, aquarium officials said Friday.
Read more »
Summer-Ready Shorts and Pants That Will Keep You Cool All Season LongThese shorts and pants from Athleta are designed to keep you cool, comfortable, and on the go all summer long.
Read more »
2022 Kia EV6 GT-Line AWD Long-Term Update | Sizing things upByron takes custody of Autoblog's long-term 2022 Kia EV6 GT-Line and is immediately surprised by its exterior dimensions.
Read more »