A weakened economy and rising food costs has created a scarcity of food among people who never thought they would be lacking. According to the U.S. government, 1 in 9 households (10.9%) did not have enough food for a healthy lifestyle at some point during 2006.
Food banks report a 15% to 20% increase in demand from last year. And 4 in 5 food banks (80%) could not meet this month’s demand without cutting operations or food portions.
This is the worst that I’ve ever seen it by far.
- Dave Krepcho :: Food Bank of Central Florida (Orlando, FL)
There is a big mission field in your back yard. Working with your local food banks is a great way to minister to your community’s needs.
[via The USA Today]
Fill Those Food Banks!…
Kent Shaffer posts an interesting bit over on churchrelevance.com where he notes that, with the tough economic times, food banks have been receiving extra requests….
[...] current food stamp usage is at record levels (10%+ of the total U.S. population). Simultaneously, 80% of food banks can not meet demand (based on May ‘09 [...]