CORPUS CHRISTI, Tx — According to the USDA, prices at the grocery store are high and they are expected to continue to rise.
The Coastal Bend Food Bank serves over 100 pantries in 11 counties. With the rise in food prices, Executive Director Bea Hanson said everyone is looking for that extra help.
"The increase in cost of food impacts the food bank directly," she said.
And it's not just the food bank being affected by — Anita Rivera, the emergency program director of Catholic Charities told KRIS 6 News said they've been seeing more than 100 families each day.
Those numbers up by 40% compared to last year and up by 100% for people who live in more rural areas.
"It's not the same people that come over and over you you know, we helped(...) about over 270 people that are new monthly that they come through," Rivera added.
If the need continues to grow they will have to find ways to get more funding or donations to keep their pantry full. Like many other nonprofits Catholic Charities and the Coastal Bend Food Bank are also feeling the impact of these rising prices.
"Things like our backpacks or the senior boxes the price to do it used to be $5 it is now $8. The cost of a senior box is $17. With vegetables and everything is gonna cost us $22 per box," Hanson said.
Food prices will increase in most categories in 2024. And with summer quickly approaching that means more families will be seeking help as they will have to provide breakfast, lunch and dinner to their kids.
Earlier this year the Coastal Bend Food Bank moved into a bigger faculty — Bea Hanson said they hope it will fill a bigger need in the community.
