"Food banks are scrambling to keep up with a continued surge in demand as Bay Area families are still recovering from lapses in federal food benefits triggered by the government shutdown. The need could grow even greater as millions nationwide stand to lose benefits once new work requirements kick in next month. Grocery prices, meanwhile, are still rising, adding to the strain on many lower-income households."
"I'm struggling I've got three boys, said Luis Barragan, while waiting in line outside a busy food pantry in East Oakland. Barragan, 37, said he's yet to receive his food benefits this month and has had to cut back on groceries. Heading into Thanksgiving, hunger relief groups are rushing to fill gaps left by disruptions to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, at a time when they would normally be focused on planning their annual holiday food drives."
"We're almost serving the same number of people as during the pandemic. We just have a lot fewer resources than we had then, said Leslie Bacho, executive director of Second Harvest of Silicon Valley. The nonprofit serves around 500,000 people each month in Santa Clara and San Mateo counties. In recent weeks, Second Harvest tallied a 300% increase in visits to its online portal for finding food distribution sites."
Bay Area food banks are experiencing a sustained surge in demand as families recover from lapses in federal food benefits caused by the government shutdown. Grocery price increases are intensifying pressure on lower-income households already coping with delayed assistance. Individual families report missed benefit payments and reduced groceries, increasing reliance on local pantries. Hunger relief organizations are diverting resources to fill SNAP gaps even as they prepare for holiday drives. Second Harvest of Silicon Valley reports massive online traffic and hundreds of thousands served monthly, reflecting demand well above typical seasonal levels.
Read at www.mercurynews.com
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