With gas prices soaring along with grocery costs, many people are seeking charitable food for the first time, and more are arriving on foot.
By ANITA SNOW and EUGENE GARCIA, Associated Press PHOENIX — 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.
People are also reading… "But it's really impossible to get by now without some help," said John, who traveled with a neighbor to share gas costs as they idled under a scorching desert sun."The prices are way too high.""It's a real struggle," said Pascual, a janitor who estimated he spends several hundred dollars a month on groceries for him, his wife and their five children aged 11 to 19.
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. At the Houston Food Bank, the largest food bank in the U.S. where food distribution levels earlier in the pandemic briefly peaked at a staggering 1 million pounds a day, an average of 610,000 pounds is now being given out daily.Murphy said cash donations have not eased, but inflation ensures they don't go as far."Last year, we had expected a decrease in demand for 2022 because the economy had been doing so well," said Michael Flood, CEO for the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank.
Govt-and-politics US inflation surges again in June, raising risks for economy Another temporary USDA"Farmers to Families" program that provided emergency relief provided more than 155 million food boxes for families in need across the U.S. during the height of the pandemic before ending May 31, 2021.
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.
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Why over-the-counter birth control has taken so long in the U.S.Over 100 countries, including most of those in Asia and Latin America, allow some forms of birth-control pills to be sold over the counter. This makes the US something of an outlier with regards to…
Read more »
Long lines are back at US food banks as inflation hits highSt. Mary's spokesman Jerry Brown says their main distribution center doled out food to 4,271 families during the third week in June, a 78% increase over the 2,396 families served during the same week in 2021. It's a trend being seen nationwide: abc15
Read more »
In what many call 'pioneering' move, Long Island establishes LGBT Chamber of CommerceAn LGBT Chamber of Commerce has been established on Long Island. It's believed to be the first local one in the country. McLoganTV has the story.
Read more »
Leaked video shows Texas law enforcement’s long wait to confront Uvalde school shooterVideo of the school shooting in Uvalde was released publicly by statesman and KVUE ahead of plans for Uvalde families to be shown the video privately in a meeting with the Texas House committee investigating the shooting.
Read more »
30-year-old pedestrian killed in Long Island hit and runPolice say the victim was struck by a vehicle traveling southbound on Long Beach Road in Island Park and suffered severe trauma. The driver fled the scene.
Read more »
Suspected catalytic converter, package thief arrested in Bellevue after months-long investigationPolice say that 22-year-old Dan Pham is also a suspect in many other thefts across the region.
Read more »