Food is getting more expensive, quickly. Grocery store items were 10% more expensive in March 2022 than they were in March 2021, according to the USDA.
That could put a strain on Lane County families, 13.6% of whom were food insecure before the pandemic began, according to Feeding America.
So far, FOOD For Lane County, the largest food bank in the county, has seen a small increase in the number of people in need of resources. In both January and February, the food bank interacted with residents about 65,000 times, this could include meals served or food boxes given. In March, the food bank had 70,000 contacts.
Boxes of potatoes and other fresh produce sit on a pallet during a mobile food pantry put on by the 4J Wraparound Program and FOOD For Lane County. Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard
By Tatiana Parafiniuk-Talesnick, Register-Guard