Food Banks and Pantries Work to Keep Shelves Stocked
by Ellie Hurley
The worldwide food crisis is something we are faced with every day. Whether it's the price of milk at the supermarket or stories in the news about food riots in Egypt, it's something we can't escape. According to the most recent government numbers, the price of food has gone up 7.5 percent in the last year and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) predicts that prices will continue to rise, affecting meat and dairy the strongest.
The food crisis and its global implications are frightening especially in the midst of an economic crisis that is already paralyzing low-income communities. All Americans are feeling the strain on their pocketbooks, but it's those who were already struggling to feed their families who are hit the hardest. Food isn't just more expensive for them; it's also more expensive for the agencies set in place to help alleviate their hunger. Coupled with an increase in the prices of their purchased food, donations are lower, and the need for emergency food is increasing. A recent Associated Press article says the Department of Labor reported that the number of applications being filed for unemployment benefits rose 406,000 for the week ending July 19.
The food crisis has left shelves bare, and food banks and pantries have had to devise new methods of soliciting donations at a time when personal resources are stretched. In November 2007, The New York Times reported on the stress food banks were already facing nationwide and since then our economy has been on a steady decline. There have been efforts to alleviate the pressures emergency food providers are facing. Musicians like Jackson Browne, and Crosby, Stills & Nash have incorporated food drives in to their latest tours, asking ticket holders to bring canned goods for donation to the show to help their hungry neighbors.
Many food pantries have had to resort to buying much of their food and instead of running food drives, ask people to donate money so they can purchase food in bulk quantities. At the Midsouth Food Bank in Memphis, TN, President and CEO Susan Sanford says their bulk buying power coupled with food brokers who notify them of discounts have helped to keep their shelves stocked. "Regardless," says Sanford, "we still do not have enough food to meet the growing need among the clients of our agencies in 31 Mid-South counties." In 2006, the food bank's distribution was at 10.1 million pounds of food and grocery items. That number dropped to 9.3 million pounds in 2007.
What seems to produce the most successful results, though, are those food providers who are using a forward thinking model and running programs that promote self-reliance to help raise people out of poverty. The Storehouse in Albuquerque New Mexico is one food provider that has been able to keep up with the increasing need. "We took the offense in raising food," says CEO Lee Maynard, whose staff initiates food drives wherever they can, using creative methods to get the entire community involved in donating. "If you don't ask, you don't get," says Maynard, emphasizing the pro-active approach he and his staff take raising funds and food. Last year The Storehouse distributed 2.4 million meals in their area "There's a big need for what we do here," he says, "that's a sad thing that 2.4 million meals were needed. It's a good thing we could provide them, but sad that they were needed." Maynard acknowledges that tougher times are ahead saying, "I think we haven't seen the crest of the wave."
