Food Banks Struggling to Respond to Increased Food Insecurity

According to data the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released this fall, food insecurity went up last year for the first time in more than ten years. Many factors play into food insecurity, but one measure the USDA uses evaluates the lack of food and food group variety in someone’s diet.

In 2022, the statistics revealed that more people had lower quality diets and/or had to skip meals. After the influx of monetary donations from the public during the worst of the pandemic, resources have since dried up, resulting in an upsurge in poverty rates.

Most food pantries have not received as many monetary or food donations from the public because everyone has felt the effects of inflation in 2022 and 2023. That reality has caused challenges for food bank budgets and resulted in the ability of some nonprofits to buy food and provide services.

The 300+ organizations in Citygate Network membership seek to move people in desperate situations and destitute conditions (i.e., hungry, homeless, abused, and addicted) from human suffering to human flourishing through the process of gospel-powered life transformation. If you or someone you love is in need of Christ-centered compassion and care, please visit our member locator page today to find a mission near you.