Long lines are back at US food banks as inflation hits high

[TheProle]

Source: Associated Press

PHOENIX (AP) — 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.

With gas prices soaring along with grocery costs, many people are seeking charitable food for the first time, and more are arriving on foot.

Inflation in the U.S. is at a 40-year high and gas prices have been surging since April 2020, with the average cost nationwide briefly hitting $5 a gallon in June. Rapidly rising rents and an end to federal COVID-19 relief have also taken a financial toll.

The food banks, which had started to see some relief as people returned to work after pandemic shutdowns, are struggling 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.

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/hungerfoodbanksinflation-4fd5d6fb5879eaecc3000fe2b73df006

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It's a great time for us donate to local support networks. No American should go hungry.

[RussBLib]

1. contribute to food banks if you can

at some point, money alone will not be enough.

Where are the billionaires and millionaires when you need them?

[TheProle]

3. +1

As Maya Angelou said, “When you know better, you do better.” In philanthropy, this is an opportunity to listen to communities and learn. To be sure, communities across America are hurting, and they need our support, but it is how we give that support that needs to change. Let’s do better.

I understand the hesitation, but let me be clear: Work like this is not designed to remove chairs from tables but to add them. This is about abundance, not scarcity.

To that end and in that spirit — and in the spirit with which MacKenzie Scott gave a $20 million gift — we have established the Food Security Equity Impact Fund to provide for communities addressing food insecurity disparities and equity. Feeding America won’t be in the command position at the table; we hope to earn a seat alongside a lot of new people. People have long understood what ails their own communities and what the real solutions would be for the issues that plague their communities. We will be there listening, learning and giving everything that we can so that a ZIP code will not define anyone’s food security status.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lifestyle/lifestyle-news/feeding-america-ceo-hollywood-donations-1235169103/

[DENVERPOPS]

12. Maybe someone should ask them........

You could tell the Mega Millionaires and Zillionaires, that charitable deductions are deductible from their income taxes.....Oh Wait, they don't pay ANY F'ing taxes......

I see articles about one of them giving 10-20 million to some cause and the article builds them up as a super hero and thanks them for their generosity. WHAT A LOAD OF SHIT........These assholes gain 10-20-40 Billion more in wealth in one year! 10, 20 or even 100 Million is less than pocket change to these butt wads.....

But hold on,...... check out the ton of money that they give to Republican Candidates and the Republican Party.......to encourage them to give them even more gratuities and kind treatment from the government..........

Same thing for the amount of taxes all the top corporations pay in taxes, (or DON'T pay, to be more precise)

The Merger of Government and Corporations is most easily defined as FASCISM........and the Republicans are a millimeter away, after working on it the past 40+ years, to installing their Corporate Fascist Tyranny of America......

[XanaDUer2]

2. Living nowadays is so frigging depressing nt

[IronLionZion]

5. It's better than the alternative

dying

[RussBLib]

7. it can get really tough

but don't give up. We just have to mentally rise above the crises of the day and persevere. Easier said than done, I know, but it is doable.

And don't listen to "Don't Give Up" by Peter Gabriel and Kate Bush. Damn thing makes me cry every single time.

[XanaDUer2]

10. I'll try

[IronLionZion]

4. Find Your Local Food Bank

https://www.feedingamerica.org/find-your-local-foodbank

They always appreciate cash donations, or donate to Feeding America. Food banks use bulk purchasing power to get tons of fresh perishable food super cheap. They can buy up surplus crops directly from farmers

[TheProle]

6. Thank you

[DENVERPOPS]

13. My wife and I give a large donation every year

to Food Bank of the Rockies. They do an awesome job, with admin costs of only about 2+3%.

I know that there are a number of people who have money and don't need to be getting their food there, but they "work" the system and go to the food bank anyways, but there will always be a few despicable ones taking advantage of a situation......

I love it when grocery stores have food drives! LOL They want you to feel good about buying the food at their store at retail price and then donating it to food banks.........The food banks can buy much more with the money you give as you pointed out.......

[utopian]

8. If you're in the Portland area, you can donate to the Oregon Food Bank

www.oregonfoodbank.org

I run a free food market that is under the auspices of OFB that is almost completely funded by donations:

www.neighborhoodhouse.org

There are lots of other good orgs in the area, including Blanchet House, which works to feed houseless folks and Lift Up Portland, which does similar work to us.

Hunger is up, and we're seeing an uptick in visits, but some foods have been difficult to come by without direct purchasing due to inflation and a myriad of other issues, so cash donation help fill the gap.

All these orgs are volunteer driven, so helping out that way is equally important.

[Phoenix61]

9. School being out doesn't help.

So many families rely on their children getting breakfast and lunch at school.

[barbaraann]

11. If anyone here is food insecure, it would be a good thing to see if there is a gleaner group you can

join where you live. These groups typically have small monthly dues and require a little volunteer work, but the amount of food and non-food items they give out can be astounding. It does, of course, depend on the group, but honestly the ones I know about give out more than the local pantries, although the amounts and items vary a lot. Gleaner groups glean or take donations from farms, restaurants, grocery stores, sometimes retail stores, sometimes distribution warehouses, sometimes from fruit trees on the street, basically anywhere food can be gathered. Did you know that Oregon's state hatcheries periodically donate salmon to hunger groups?
Gleaner groups are often "under the radar" because there isn't enough volunteer help to spread the word.

[ck4829]

14. It's clear we've got a problem