DEMAND RISES FOR LOCAL FOOD AID

'Perfect Storm' of problems

Many families and seniors who have never sought help from a charity are forced to now

By Tonya Strickland

Rising costs, $4-plus-per-gallon gas and tighter consumer budgets are creating more demand for aid from local nonprofit groups that provide food to families and seniors.

“We are kind of having a perfect storm of difficulties,” said Carl Hansen, executive director of the Food Bank Coalition of San Luis Obispo County, which serves 156 local agencies.

While operating costs rise, local groups are seeing more and more people in need and are handing out food to many who have never sought help from a charity before.

“For a lot of people, it’s probably a temporary situation,” Hansen said. “Maybe they just lost a home or went bankrupt. But it’s a substantial part of the current increase in demand.”

As of 2006, about 30,000 to 35,000 people in the county sought aid from food agencies per year, Hansen said. Although a current statistic wasn’t available, the local nonprofit leader said he’s certain that number is higher today.

The Food Bank Coalition’s need for food has increased 30 percent over last year. That was preceded by a 20 percent swell over the previous year. Some of its agencies are experiencing 50 percent increases in foot traffic. Nonprofit grocery pantries are exceedingly sparse, and gas expenses for food distribution to the homebound and dining sites have doubled in the last year. And, on top of all that, the ability for donors to give is down.

“People can be so generous, but they are having a hard time meeting their own needs right now,” Hansen said, noting that over the last year gifts have dropped about 30 percent.

The Senior Nutrition Program of San Luis Obispo County, which served meals to 1,500 seniors countywide last year, is also seeing a decrease in the inability to give. It requests a donation of $2.75 per meal and received $18,000 less for its service over the previous year because of the slowed economy, said Elias Nimeh, executive director.

However, local groups say it’s not time to panic — but to get creative. Many are looking to cut costs without cutting programs. Some have started preparing meals from scratch to lessen the added expense of processed foods.

Others are looking to incorporate delivery trucks that require less maintenance or have partnered with local grocery stores to receive quality perishable goods close to their expiration date that don’t sell.

Search for solutions

The nutrition program says it’s looking at all aspects of its business to save money this year.

“We have to stay alive,” Nimeh said. “Cutting back on service would be the absolute last resort and we hope never to do that.”

Solutions range from new fundraisers to changing equipment to save power. Its cooks are also preparing meals with 25 percent more homemade ingredients than last year to avoid higher fees on pre-packaged convenience foods. The organization added more fruits and vegetables to its stock instead of buying packaged foods that cost more.

Although the Food Bank Coalition is concerned about not being able to sustain its losses, it has vowed not to cut services or raise prices for goods sold to its agencies this year, Hansen said.

To fill in the gaps, it has partnered with local grocery stores to bring in 40,000 to 50,000 additional pounds of food through the Fresh Rescue Program. Perishable food is donated to the group, which then helps fill the various needs of its agencies. The coalition picks up the items in refrigerated trucks and turns it around to the public within days.

Items from the U. S. Department of Agriculture will arrive at food banks nationwide next month.

The coalition will receive approximately 120,000 pounds for the year, which is three times the average amount it receives per year on USDA contributions. The goods include proteins, grains, fruits and vegetables.