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As many American families continue to grapple with additional gas costs
, food and mortgages caused by inflation, food banks have also registered a greater demand, although the donations they receive are increasingly enough for less.
Food banks across the United States report labor and distribution costs are rising and donations are slowing.
Around the 65% of the 200 Feeding America network food banks reported seeing increased demand for food assistance in March compared to the previous month, with an average increase of % more people, according to the latest data from the nation’s largest hunger relief program.
Around the 30% of food banks said they had served the same number of customers.
Some of Feeding America’s food pantry partners have closed due to decreased donations and higher costs to receive and deliver food. Others have less food on their shelves even though it is in higher demand.
The problem has grown to the point where last week the President Joe Biden convened a Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health in September, the first since 1969.
Harder to afford gasoline and food
At the beginning of 2020, the covid- 19 forced approximately 60 millions of Americans to seek help for food insecurity, according to Feeding America.
As of the end of 2021, with the hiring boom, the demand for food banks returned to regular levels. But the relief was short-lived.
Inflation of 8.3% in the index of consumer prices in April announced on Wednesday and the national average price of gasoline that reached a record this Sunday of $4.47 per gallon are some of the main reasons that have led to this situation.
In addition, to the problem added the shortage caused by Russia’s war against Ukraine and other problems in the supply chain.
In the pockets of families, these complications have caused that, after cutting expenses in recent months, as the situation continues, have no more options. Some of the parents, according to a report by CNN, have resorted to skipping meals in order to complete their children’s meals.
The struggles of the families are accentuated by the fact that government benefits that increased during the pandemic, such as food stamps or unemployment insurance, have stopped or will end soon.
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