Food Bank Demand Soars (Again) As Inflation Crushes Working-Poor

The highest inflation prints in four decades have forced some Americans to flood food banks and pantries (again).

WSJ reports that Forgotten Harvest in Detroit has experienced a dramatic increase in demand. Since December, demand at the food bank has increased from 25% to 45%. In March alone, when energy and food prices soared, demand jumped 30% over the prior month.

Christopher Ivey, a spokesman for the Detroit food bank, said, “the need is growing quickly, as gas prices are continuing to rise.”

 “As you know, there are shortages in the grocery store and the costs of the commodity goods are going up and up and up, Ivey said, adding this is putting pressure on the food bank. 

The hunger crisis is countrywide. With a network of 200 food banks and 60,000 food pantries and meal programs, Feeding America published new data that found demand for its food assistance in February increased in nearly every food bank (85%). That was a 20% increase versus January’s numbers.

Allison Korn, the director of the Food Law & Policy Clinic at the University of California, Los Angeles, said the virus pandemic sparked food insecurity, and today’s inflation environment has made things worse. – READ MORE