Local food banks seeing spike in demand driven by inflation
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - As grocery store prices keep rising, the demand is growing for local food banks and pantries.
Inflation has more people filling up bags and boxes with food onsite at the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank's warehouse. Beth Burrell, the organization's communications director, said that their current numbers are close to what they were seeing at the beginning of the pandemic.
"Now since food and everything else is on the rise, this really helps a lot with other expenses I have to put out there," said Terry Letner, who stops at the food bank about once a week.
In July 2022, the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank provided food onsite to 1,176 households. The organization provided similar assistance to 1,604 households in April 2020 and to 549 in July 2020.
Burrell said they see about 80 families in their warehouse per day, but that number has gone up to 97 recently. At the beginning of the pandemic, they would see about 100 people a day.
"Now that inflation is going up and families still aren't recovered from the beginning of the pandemic, the need has really increased again," Burrell said.
According to the Consumer Price Index, grocery store prices rose 12.2 percent compared to a year ago, a one-year surge not seen in more than four decades.
"They're ridiculous," Letner said. "Like me and my sister and a friend were looking at chicken wings and the price was like double what they used to be."
Burrell said the food bank's inventory is strong now, and they're trying to keep up with the demand.
"We are spending more, as everybody else is, to be able to have enough food here," Burrell said. "Some of the items that our families are looking for us to provide most are some of the items that are most expensive at the grocery store, so meat, produce and bread now."
Burrell said it's been heartbreaking to see people back in this tough position.
The food bank always needs donations, food drive hosts and volunteers. Learn more about how to help here.
"We're all feeling the pinch, but when you're already at a heightened state of trying to make the ends meet, it's even tougher. So, the more we can do -- Pittsburgh has always been a supportive and helpful community -- the more we can do to help one another, we'll all get through this and get to the end of the tunnel," Burrell said.
Urban League of Pittsburgh said the number of people utilizing their emergency food pantry has more than doubled since the beginning of the pandemic. In July, they had 44 clients, which is high because they only have an emergency food pantry. You can learn more here.
The Light of Life's Food Pantry has been serving more people as well. The organization served over 200 families in July. More information can be found here.