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From Phoenix, Arizona, in the southwestern United States, to Jackson, Mississippi, in the southeastern U.S., people are standing in long lines in their cars to receive food assistance from food banks and food pantries. moving.

Rising inflation in the U.S. it raises the price of everything from food to gas to rent. And that still makes it difficult for many people to buy the food they need.

“We’re seeing a lot of families struggling to make ends meet because the dollar isn’t moving like it used to in the grocery store,” said Kellie O’Connell, CEO at Nourishing Hope, a grocery store. Chicago. “So now people need to make tough decisions like paying for medicine or buying food.”

In Phoenix, “many people on fixed incomes, especially in our aging population, go to the grocery store and see prices going up, especially on necessities like milk, eggs and meat,” said Jerry Brown, director of media relations for St. Mary’s Food Bank. And they may not be able to afford these things.

In Virginia, Maria Aguilar, who immigrated from El Salvador, works two jobs to keep awake and take care of her three children.

“Going to the grocery store is a challenge because food is so expensive,” he told VOA. “Knowing that I can get extra food makes a big difference,” she said, as she brought bread, fruit and other food to her truck at Food for Others, a food bank in Fairfax, Virginia, near Washington.

The demand for food is increasing.

“In the last week, the number is up about 68% in our greater Phoenix area – that’s 800 to 1,200 families a month,” Brown said.

“We’re seeing long lines at restaurants and soup kitchens in Mississippi,” said Kelly Durrett, director of external affairs for the Mississippi Food Network.

430 network partners provide food to the needy, the poorest in the US Starting in June, Durrett said, the number of people coming to network partners has increased between 10% and 20 %.

“Our clients are the working poor who have low-wage jobs that keep them in poverty,” Durrett told VOA.

“Some people arrive early at the mobile food stores, waiting for them to open,” he said. “With so much demand, some pantries run out of food quickly.”

The largest food bank in the U.S., in downtown Houston, Texas, feeds nearly a million people each year through schools, churches and other partners.

Brian Greene, president and CEO of the Houston Food Bank, told VOA, “We don’t have to turn anyone away, but we can’t be as generous with food right now as we’d like. The family is you won’t get. as much food as they would have had a year ago.”

Some are worried that the food situation could worsen as it was during the coronavirus epidemic.

“We’re getting closer every month,” said Meredith Knopp, president and CEO of St. Louis Area Foodbank. “It’s worrying to see so many people in line and need help, many for the first time. We also have people who come and say, ‘I can only feed my children, when I- haven’t eaten both. days.'”

Annie Turner, executive director of Food for Others, said that while the demand for food has increased, food donations have decreased.

“The number of families that came to our warehouse to get food almost doubled from June 2021 to June 2022,” he said. At the same time, “we have seen a 42% decrease in food donations since the high price of food has also affected our donors.”

He added: “We used to buy about 9 percent of the food we distributed, but now that number is 32 percent this past year.”

The story is similar to other food banks across the U.S.

“Our contributions from grocery stores are down about 33%, so we have to supplement that with food purchases,” said O’Connell of Chicago.

In Phoenix, “we’re probably going to have to buy 200% more food next year because we know we’re not going to get it through donations,” Brown said.

“I hope the community will come together to provide food aid like they did during the coronavirus pandemic.” O’Connell said.

“We tell local farmers that we will arrange for volunteers to pick fruits and vegetables that can be distributed to people in need,” said Knopp.

At Food for Others, William Gonzales said he was grateful for the food he was given. “My family is struggling, and this helps make our lives a lot easier.”

430 network partners provide food to the needy, the poorest in the US Starting in June, Durrett said, the number of people coming to network partners has increased between 10% and 20 %.

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