High Plains Food Bank Executive Director Zack Wilson said the organization is facing the greatest demand in its 43-year history even as food supplies and donations decline, speaking shortly after the Amarillo City Council issued a proclamation recognizing September as Hunger Action Month.
“Hunger Action Month is really our month of mobilization and a call to action,” Wilson said. “Across the nation it’s important, but here in the Texas Panhandle, it means even more this year because we’ve never served as many households as we are right now.”
The local surge reflects a statewide crisis. According to Feeding America’s most recent Map the Meal Gap study, 17.6% of Texans — nearly 5.4 million people — are food insecure, the highest total of any state. The combination of high food prices, housing costs and other essentials is straining families across the income spectrum.
“Parents are skipping meals so their children can eat,” Wilson said. “Seniors on fixed incomes are forced to choose between groceries and medical bills. Families who never imagined needing help are turning to food banks for the very first time.”
Wilson said the cost of food has climbed to levels unseen in the food bank’s history, squeezing both consumers and the nonprofit agencies trying to help them. “When we have funding to bring in food, it roughly costs twice what it did just four or five years ago,” he said. “Freight costs are higher, wholesale prices are higher, and the retail side is just as bad. Everyone is paying more.”
Everyday staples such as rice, pasta and canned vegetables have seen sharp increases, leaving families with fewer options and forcing the food bank to stretch every donated dollar. “Even when we find good deals through other food banks or distributors, the freight to get it here has gone up dramatically,” Wilson said. “We hear from parents who can’t keep up with grocery bills even though they’re working full time. They tell us they’ve never seen prices stay this high for this long.”
To meet the challenge, the food bank launched its Fill the Gap campaign in April with a $250,000 goal to purchase additional truckloads of food. The effort has already raised more than $210,000 — about 85% of the target — enough to fund five truckloads. Wilson said he hopes to reach the full goal by next month thanks to several pending commitments.
Cash donations remain the primary focus because they allow the food bank to buy in bulk and stretch every dollar, though food donations are also welcome. Partnerships with local businesses such as Dutch Bros Coffee and The Donut Stop are among the many ways residents can contribute.
The food bank is also closely watching Congress as lawmakers debate the long-delayed federal farm bill, which provides key funding for food programs nationwide. “Every food bank in Texas is seeing record-high demand,” Wilson said. “We’re united in calling for action on the farm bill so we can have something to count on as we step up to meet the need.”
Wilson encouraged anyone struggling with food insecurity to reach out. “Many of the people coming to us are in this for the first time, sometimes just skipping a meal, sometimes with nothing at all,” he said. “Income isn’t keeping up with expenses, and we hear those stories every day. But this is a generous region, and when everyone comes together, we can make a big difference.”
This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: High Plains Food Bank rallies support as need continues to grow
Reporting by Michael Cuviello, Amarillo Globe-News / Amarillo Globe-News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
