Economy Woes: Food Banks Going Broke
As Donations Drop Off, Food Prices Skyrocket
POSTED: 4:34 am CDT May 27, 2008
UPDATED: 4:38 am CDT May 27, 2008
STOCKTON, Calif. -- Food prices are way up. Workers' inflation-adjusted earnings are down. And that's putting pressure on food banks.
Demand is up while supplies and donations are down as more and more people turn to food banks for help feeding their families.America's Second Harvest-The Nation's Food Bank Network has spent a year asking lawmakers to increase the annual level of funding for The Emergency Food Assistance Program. A recent survey showed that 99 percent of their food banks have seen a surge in the number of clients.
In response, Congress boosted funding from $140 million to $250 million, but that money won't be available until October.
