Inflation has surged at its fastest rate in more than 40 years, with rising costs for food, gasoline, housing, and other basic essentials pinching wallets and wiping out pay raises for many Americans.
However, don't anticipate the huge rise in prices to die down any time soon. Food inflation is likely to continue its unprecedented surge until the end of the year., according to Bank of America. Bank of America analysts, led by Alexander Lin, said that they expect U.S. food inflation to hit 9% by the end of 2022.
As the price impact of the Russia-Ukraine conflict affects American grocery shops, rising prices for necessities like bread, milk, and meat are expected to continue to increase this year.
Higher prices can contribute to food insecurity for the poorest Americans and force middle-class families to make cuts elsewhere. But luckily, food banks provide temporary relief.
The Push for Food Banks
Food banks are seeing another rise in need from those in need. Most pandemic assistance programs have ended, inflation is rising, and many Americans are once again having trouble making ends meet.
Nearly 8% of respondents said they “sometimes” or “often” did not have enough to eat, according to data from the Census Household Pulse Survey. Rates of reported hunger are growing, and so are the lines at food banks nationwide.
I visited Community Action Partnership Orange County (CAP OC), a food bank in California, to get an inside scoop to see how food banks are dealing with the influx of families and individuals.
CAP OC specializes in food boxes for seniors, families in need, and low-income individuals. In addition to helping families and individuals recover from food insecurity, CAP OC operates a diaper bank and has enrolled more than 1,000 people in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) within the last year.
“We’re just trying to be in a position to help those individuals who really need us most. And we also try to make sure even our own staff that we are paying a living wage because they are impacted by inflation as well”, says Gregory Scott, the CEO of CAP OC.
In a typical year, CAP OC distributes 23 million pounds of food, but with COVID-19 and inflation, that number rose to 65 million pounds in 2021.
Find your Local Food Bank
Feeding America has put together a nationwide network of food banks and food programs. Connect with local food banks to learn more about how you can contribute to or receive food distributions.
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