ROCHESTER, Minn. (KTTC)— Local non-profits are solving food insecurity by repurposing unused food from retailers, accepting donations, and feeding clients in need.
Channel One Regional Food Bank and Community Food Response in Rochester claimed the organizations’ client numbers have nearly doubled through the end of this year.
Community Food Response client Jerrell Guider mentioned food has been difficult to find during this time of the year.
“Yep, it’s been an increase in mobility from the summertime,” Guider said.
Community Food Response Site Coordinator Pernell Meier stated the food rescue service has been short on donations during the holidays.
“I believe it’s something that all the food rescue organizations or food pantries are seeing right now, is a much increase in demand,” Meier said.
Meier thought this was a result of the recent spike in demand from food-insecure households.
“Since I started in May, the numbers we were giving out were in the upper 200s to 300s. Now they’re in the upper 400s to close to 600, so demand has gone through the roof,” Meier stated.
Channel One Regional Food Bank’s Director of Development and Communications Jessica Sund said the food bank has also recently had record-breaking demands.
“Monday, we broke a record of visits to the food shelf. We saw over 710 households come to shop in one day, and then yesterday we broke that record again with over 800 visits just in one day,” Sund said.
Sund mentioned this rise in demand could be a result of nationwide inflation.
“That inflation affects food shelves and food banks the same way. So, we are serving more people and it’s getting more expensive,” Sund stated.
Sund said food shelves have noticed this increase in clients during the course of the year and not just during the holidays.
Find stories like this and more, in our apps.
Copyright 2024 KTTC. All rights reserved.
