PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — As the price of gas, groceries, and just about everything else keeps climbing, food banks throughout the region are gearing up for what could be a difficult holiday season for many families.
Supply chain bottle necks and labor shortages are not only making it hard to find some items in the grocery store. The things that are in stock are more expensive, as economic experts think the average cost of a Thanksgiving dinner will be the most expensive ever.
“We started purchasing turkeys back in June, putting our orders in," said Fred Wasiak, president of the Food Bank of South Jersey.
Wasiak said they have expanded to make more room for those 18,000 turkeys. plus everything else a family needs for a proper Thanksgiving feast.
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“We’ve doubled our size," Wasiak said.
"We’re able to hold more perishables, fruits, vegetables, eggs, and so forth which will allow us to serve our community better and more efficiently.”
Philabundance also emphasized the importance of preparation this year.
Both food banks say while they are in pretty good shape right now, there is always a need for more help, and there could be more families than usual struggling to put food on the table.
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"We’re not at the height we were in the middle of the pandemic, but still our food insecurity is at high levels. We estimate one in seven people in South Jersey are facing daily hunger, and one in five children are facing food insecurity," said Wasiak.
"We anticipate this holiday season that people are still going to have to make choices: 'Do I pay the electricity? Do I pay the rent or mortgage or food?'"
They ask for anyone who can to make a donation, because it doesn’t look like the problems we’re seeing with prices and supplies are going away anytime soon.
