Rising food prices hurting consumers, area aid groups

To go along with rising gas prices, food prices have soared in the U.S. in recent months.

The increases have had affected many, including community food assistance programs and their clients.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimated food prices were 10% higher in April 2022 than they were the year prior. As the nation rebounded from the COVID-19pandemic, rising energy costs and continued supply chain issues drove up prices.

Measures were taken during the height of COVID-19 in the U.S. to help those in need purchase food. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) -- more commonly known as food stamps -- received a 27% benefit increase in October 2021 but has since been scaled back by Missouri even as inflation continued to drive up prices.

While the summer normally correlates with an increased food demand with children out of school, the decrease in purchasing power for food stamps and rising costs have forced many to food pantries in order to eat. Jamie Hazard serves as the manager for Cape Church of the Nazarene's food pantry. Hazard said the pantry is currently serving triple the number of people they were six months ago.

"The food stamp money is not going as far as it used to," Hazard said. "So, they will run out sooner and come to agencies like us to fill the gap."

Hazard said the steepest increase in clients has been in the last three to four months with an additional 30 to 50 clients each month.

"We as a pantry are struggling to keep up with our clients' needs," Hazard said.

Those who run the pantry are having a meeting in coming days to re-evaluate the way the pantry operates in order to be able to keep up with increased demand. The changes will likely be in giving less food to individuals in order to spread out the supply to as many people as possible, the pantry manager said.

"It's very painful," Hazard said of being forced to make that decision.

She characterized the situation as "dire" and urged anybody with the ability to help to reach out.

Red Star Food Pantry has experienced an uptick of its own the past six months, specifically with new clients, coordinator Kevin Sexton said.

As with many crises, vulnerable populations are hit first and hardest. Senior citizens and families with young children are particularly affected by food shortages, according to the pantry officials. Hazard also noted a rise in young, single adult clients.

"We do see that their wages aren't able to keep up with their cost of living," Hazard said.

Hazard added balancing the cost of food and the cost of housing has been a significant challenge for that population.

A study conducted by Missouri University's Interdisciplinary Center for Food Security found that 46% of Missouri food pantry clients were forced to choose between paying for food or paying for utilities in 2021. Additionally, 38% had to choose between paying for food and medicine, and 34% chose between food and housing.

Sexton said because of demand and generosity the pantry added another weekly distribution to its schedule this past year. The pantry has been "blessed" by many local organizations, its coordinator added, and as of now has not had to make any distribution changes.

The same challenges facing clients, face those trying to help. Fuel and food prices have forced the Southeast Missouri Food Bank -- an organization that supplies food to local pantries -- to get creative, Gratten Allen, director of operations for the food bank, said.

A delivery trip from Kansas City, Missouri, to Sikeston cost $1,800 in 2019. Today, the same trip costs $2,650.

"You do that for a number of loads, your budget just doesn't go as far anymore," Allen said.

Protein purchases for holiday meals need to be made six months in advance, Allen said, and the same amount of protein as last time can now cost up to $20,000 more.

Supply chain issues have also decreased the quantity of food the bank has on hand. While they are still within budget goals, purchasing food has become more difficult for the organization. The bank has served an estimated 70,000 people a month the last six months, according to chief advancement officer Sarah Garner. In 2019, that number was around 60,000. It reached 90,000 during the pandemic.