Inflation, high gas prices and an end to COVID relief funds have resulted in a nationwide increase at food bank lines, and things are no different in Statesboro and Bulloch County.
Both Jodi Brannon with the Statesboro Food Bank, and John Long, with Christian Social Ministries, report more people seeking help who never found themselves in such a situation of need before.
Inflation is at a 40-year high, and although gas prices have dropped by about 50 cents lately, gas is still a $1.50 higher a gallon than it was two years ago. For most, higher gas prices may cut into the family food budgets. As expenses rise in the grocery store, in utilities and other areas, more people are feeling the need for food assistance, Brannon said.
Food banks across the nation, which had started to see some relief as people returned to work after pandemic shutdowns, are working even harder to meet the latest need even as federal programs provide less food to distribute, grocery store donations wane and cash gifts don’t go nearly as far.
Grocery store prices began rising just as government programs enacted during the height of the COVID pandemic that provided temporary increases in food benefits were ending. That “affected the needs of some families,” Brannon said. “Definitely, people are suffering, ridiculously so.”
The surge in food prices comes after state governments ended COVID disaster declarations that temporarily allowed increased benefits under SNAP, the federal food stamp program covering some 40 million Americans.
Long said the demand for utility assistance is on the rise, as well.
“The need (for assistance) is rising straight across the board,” he said. “The number of people needing help has increased 20 percent.”
And, Long said, a large percentage are “newer folks and senior citizens.”
The increase in demand for help from food pantries is a nationwide trend.
“It does not look like it’s going to get better overnight,” said Katie Fitzgerald, president and chief operating officer for the national food bank network Feeding America. “Demand is really making the supply challenges complex.”
Brannon said the Statesboro Food Bank has seen an increase in the number of larger families that never before sought help from the agency. Both Long and Brannon said they are seeing more senior citizens and single people seeking help, as well.
Local food drives and food purchased from larger agencies help keep the food pantries stocked. Long’s Christian Social Ministries gets funding through two variety stores that sell “just about everything” donated for the purpose. Brannon said through cash donations and local donations, “we still have a pretty good amount of food at the moment.”
The method of how patrons get their food also has changed since the pandemic, Long said. People arrive and volunteers meet them at the car with “45 to 50 pounds of food at the time.” Brannon also said volunteers take boxes of food to the cars - “enough for meals for seven days.”
With current situations, there have been some emergency cases. While Christian Social Ministries is open only on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, there have been some special donations on days they are not usually open, due to urgent need, he said.
Children being out of school also ramps up demand during the summer months, Brannon said. During school days, children are able to eat breakfast and lunch at school.
The Statesboro Food Bank is currently located in the old Julia P. Bryant Elementary building at the corner of Stockyard Road and Donnie Simmons Way. The telephone number is (912) 489-3663.
Christian Social Ministries food pantry is located at 31 North Zetterower Avenue and the telephone number is (912) 489-2407. CSM’s two variety stores are on East Parrish Street and College Plaza. CSM soon will open a third variety store on Zetterower Avenue to fund extra needs at the food pantry and for utility assistance, Long said.
Feeding America's Fitzgerald is calling on USDA and Congress to find a way to restore hundreds of millions of dollars worth of commodities recently lost with the end of several temporary programs to provide food to people in need. USDA commodities, which generally can represent as much as 30% of the food the banks disperse, accounted for more than 40% of all food distributed in fiscal year 2021 by the Feeding America network.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.