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By Wendy Koch, USA TODAY
The nation's food banks are scrambling to serve a growing demand for help during the holidays at a time when government food donations and private cash contributions have fallen.
More people are asking for food even as the amount of government commodities available milk, cheese, canned goods and other staples is down 55% from 2005, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. A second USDA program of emergency food aid has stayed about the same. Together, they supply about one-fourth of what food banks give away.
The loss of USDA commodities is "huge," says Paul Ash of the San Francisco Food Bank. He says his group is increasing visits to stores to pick up food with "sell by" dates about to expire.
Demand is up 34% from two years ago in the Dallas area, says Colleen Brinkmann of the North Texas Food Bank, and 39% from five years ago in Washington, D.C., and its suburbs, says Brian Smith of the Capital Area Food Bank.
"We have a lot of empty racks in our warehouse. That's unusual," says Carey Miller of the Food Bank of Iowa.
High fuel prices this year have hurt many low-wage earners by forcing them to choose between heating their homes or buying food, says Maura Daly of America's Second Harvest.
"Every food bank will tell you," she says, "they need more food."
Find the rest of this article at:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2006-11-19-food-banks_x.htm?csp=1
The nation's food banks are scrambling to serve a growing demand for help during the holidays at a time when government food donations and private cash contributions have fallen.
More people are asking for food even as the amount of government commodities available milk, cheese, canned goods and other staples is down 55% from 2005, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. A second USDA program of emergency food aid has stayed about the same. Together, they supply about one-fourth of what food banks give away.
The loss of USDA commodities is "huge," says Paul Ash of the San Francisco Food Bank. He says his group is increasing visits to stores to pick up food with "sell by" dates about to expire.
Demand is up 34% from two years ago in the Dallas area, says Colleen Brinkmann of the North Texas Food Bank, and 39% from five years ago in Washington, D.C., and its suburbs, says Brian Smith of the Capital Area Food Bank.
"We have a lot of empty racks in our warehouse. That's unusual," says Carey Miller of the Food Bank of Iowa.
High fuel prices this year have hurt many low-wage earners by forcing them to choose between heating their homes or buying food, says Maura Daly of America's Second Harvest.
"Every food bank will tell you," she says, "they need more food."
Find the rest of this article at:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2006-11-19-food-banks_x.htm?csp=1
