Food bank reports more people seeking assistance

International Falls Hunger Coalition reported that 44 more households visited the food shelf in the first three months of 2008 compared to the same time period in 2007, representing an increase of 11 percent.
Second Harvest North Central Food Bank is feeling the pressure of being at the front lines of the current food crisis. Skyrocketing food and fuel costs are forcing more people to ask for help when they may have been able, up until recently, to make ends meet. The last few months have seen a “perfect storm” of steep increases in grocery prices, gas prices and unending heating costs hit area residents, according to the bank.
A review of statistics reported by food shelves in the north central region of Minnesota finds many food shelves seeing increases in people seeking help of 10-40 percent. The Community Food Shelf at First Lutheran in Aitkin has had 51 more families, an increase of 20 percent. In Pillager, the Food Shelf saw an increase of 41 percent. The Grand Rapids Food Shelf is up 32 percent.
An informal survey of food shelf clients in February found a startling number of those coming for food assistance were reporting that they were skipping meals and going hungry because they couldn’t afford enough food for their family.
“We know that people come to food shelves because they need help putting food on the table and making ends meet, but we were really shocked that so many reported real hunger,” says Sue Estee, executive director of Second Harvest North Central Food Bank. “People who were barely getting by before all their basic costs went up are not able stretch any more. I think this is just the beginning of a real human crisis in our area,” she said.
People coming for assistance at food shelves are encouraged to sign up for food support (food stamps) if they aren’t already participating in the program.
“We ask all the people coming in to our food shelf if they are enrolled and if not they are directed to information about food support and how to sign up,” says Ellen Christmas, Second Harvest program manager. But food support alone isn’t an adequate solution, because increased food costs affect the amount of food that can be purchased with the program. Clients who qualify for this federal program receive a fixed dollar amount of food support each month and use an EBT card at retail grocery stores to purchase their groceries.
As food prices go up, food support dollars don’t buy as much food.
Just as Second Harvest sees more people in need, the supply of food available to distribute to people is down almost 5 percent over this time last year. Contributing factors to this reduction in the food supply are: declining federal commodities, increasing food industry efficiencies and the tendency of the food industry to sell less than perfect product in the secondary market rather than donate it to food banks. To compensate for the decrease in donated food, Second Harvest is forced to purchase more food on the wholesale market and pass the costs on to food shelves, further stressing the supply of food that is available to be given out to people in need.
The combination of major increases in the cost of basic living expenses, decreased purchasing power of food stamps and cutbacks in charity food distribution are causing enormous stress on the low-income people in our communities.
“Completion of the Farm Bill could make additional food available to food banks like Second Harvest. It would also bring needed enhancements to the benefits available through the Food Stamp Program,” according to Estee.
Food banks and food shelves are increasingly in need of food and funds to meet the needs in local communities. Food drives and monetary donations are ways people can help. Call your local food shelf for more information on how to help.
Second Harvest North Central Food Bank serves 145 hunger relief agencies in Koochiching, Itasca, Cass, Aitkin, Crow Wing, Mille Lacs and Kanabec counties. More than three million pounds of food and grocery products were distributed through those agencies in 2007. For more information regarding the food bank contact Estee at 218-326-4420 http://www.secondharvestncfb.com.