CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — According to the organization, Feeding America, about 1.4 million Texans face food insecurity. That is about one in eight lone star state residents who might have to rely on resources from area food banks.
A new report released this week by the USDA showed that around 17 million households experienced difficulty affording enough food in 2022. Researchers pointed the finger at inflation, saying that going to the grocery store now cost a lot more than it used to.
Local food banks in the Coastal Bend said they are focused on helping those in need despite the increased challenges of costs and waning donation sizes.
"Families that had been independent and could make it until the end of the month, now they go to the grocery store and the money is gone. They're having to come to us at the end of the month and say, 'just help me until the next paycheck.'"
Executive director for the Coastal Bend Food Bank, Bea Hanson said the rise of food costs hasn't only affected people who experience food insecurity. Hanson said there is a notable difference in the amount of donations they used to receive from big companies.
"We're receiving a lot less food. Even the government has been cutting back, so we are having to go out and purchase food and whatever money we have, it just doesn't go as far as it used to."
Felicia Tanner with the Wesley Community Center said that before the pandemic hit, their food pantry was serving about 25,000 meals.
During the pandemic, that number rose to 108,000 meals. In 2022, due to the inflation's effect on the community, Tanner says that number spiked again.
"We actually jumped to 117 thousand that we actually were able to distribute. We've seen just a huge influx of people."
Tanner said that some people make their way to the food pantry to get their hands on some of the more expensive grocery items, like produce and meat that other food pantries may not have.
"We're one of the few here within the city that actually have the distribution and the surplus coming from the retailers. People come to our food pantry because they know that we're able to help supplement that by giving out meat and produce."
For families that may have a harder time dealing with inflation regardless of the influx of people that they are seeing, both Hanson and Tanner said that their organizations remain ready to help whoever, whenever need be.
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