Food banks set to see decrease in food as consumers deal with rising grocery prices

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) — As grocery prices continue to rise, more people may be turning to food banks for help.

“About one in four adults and one in three children experience food insecurity in Central California,” Co-CEO of the Central California Food Bank, Natalie Caples said.

The Central California Food Bank says it has seen more people need its resources since the pandemic, serving 320,000 people each month.

“We are seeing some spikes in certain communities due to a lot of uncertainty around current economic conditions and the economic landscape,” Caples explained.

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The food bank says in recent months, the US Department of Agriculture has cut its supplemental Emergency Food Assistance Program, canceling products like meat, dairy and eggs, which the community has said they regularly go without because they can’t afford or don’t have access to these fresh staples.

“We had about 13 truckloads scheduled between April and July that have been rescinded by USDA,” Caples stated. “That value was about $850,000 worth of food that was canceled for our food bank.”

Fresno resident Patty says she’s already seen a difference in the food supply.

“They used to provide a bag of rice, a little bag of rice and beans, potatoes, but now you just get what you can get,” Patty said. “This is only going to last for maybe three days.”

She says she and her family use food stamps and food banks to get by.

“There are times I don’t eat,” she stated. I’ll feed my grandkids and my kids.”

According to the US Census, about 19% of households in the San Joaquin Valley are on food stamps — that’s the highest percentage in the state.

Patty has had to go to distribution sites more often in the last few months and says she’s seen more people each time.

“Usually it would be half of this,” Patty said while pointing to the line. “But now it’s like, ‘Wow, how long is it? Is there even going to be enough food for the people toward the end?”

This distribution site in central Fresno focused on fresh produce, which some say they need.

“It’s kind of hard to get vegetables sometimes around here. Sometimes we wait up to two weeks before we get fresh vegetables at stores around here,” Fresno resident Lisa Graves said.

By next June, the food bank will see even more changes as the Trump administration and USDA are cutting over $1 billion in local food programs like Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program.

“Our access to foods that are culturally and dietarily preferred by neighbors will decrease,” Caples explained.

Those cuts are part of President Trump’s efforts to shrink the federal government and its spending.

Despite the cutbacks, the Central California Food Bank is still able to provide food.

“Pancake mix, rice, beans, some pasta vermicelli,” Caples said while showing us a donation box.

The food bank is asking for community support as it navigates its new supply.

You can volunteer at the center or donate online on the food bank’s website.

You can find when and where your nearest food distribution site is here.

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