Food Banks , Struggle to Meet, Increasing Need.
NPR reports that all over
the United States, food banks are
experiencing a surge of people in need this year.
Katie Fitzgerald, the president
of Feeding America, warns of a , "drumbeat of increasing
demand, month over month.".
The nation has seen inflation
rise to a four-decade high
in recent months. .
NPR reports that the rising cost of food
and other essential items has the most
impact on lower-income households.
As demand surges nationwide,
food banks are struggling
to meet the need.
According to NPR,
this is partly because food
donations are way down.
Supply chain disruptions have also
had an effect on many staple items
typically stocked by food banks.
Feeding America claims that providers across the U.S, are relying on emergency reserves,
opting for cheaper products, limiting distribution...
and "stretching their inventory to be
able to meet more people's needs.".
Feeding America's Fitzgerald says that wages
have lagged behind the rising costs of housing,
health care and education for decades.
Thirty, 40 years ago, it was really an emergency food system for people who really had no other option. Today, we're seeing a lot of folks that are budgeting in charitable food to their monthly budget, Katie Fitzgerald, President of Feeding America, via NPR.
And when that is happening in this country,
something is fundamentally wrong,
because a lot of these folks are working, Katie Fitzgerald, President of Feeding America, via NPR