NORTHEAST TALLAHASSEE, FL — The Safe Families for Children food pantry was forced to close its doors last Wednesday due to supply shortages.
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Pantry Director Jon Nicholson said it was a classic case of demand outpacing supply as they serve about 250 families per week.
"Supply has been decreasing. A lot of that's a result of funding being cut to organizations like TEFAP, USDA, and other suppliers," Nicholson said.
The strain is being felt at other food pantries seeing a similar imbalance.
Yen Lam, the Director of Student Health Services at Florida A&M University, said the campus pantry recorded about 30,000 pantry visits last year.
Those visits jumped 46% this year.
"We're just trying to go day by day. But our main goal is for our students to be successful, and we'll do whatever we can or what we need to do in order for them to just have food," Lam said.
Pantry leaders attribute the increase in demand to rising prices.
Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics reveal that food prices have risen about 3.1% since last year.
Gas prices have increased by $1.08 nationally, according to AAA.
"The numbers climbing is one thing, but then, the other thing is just people having a harder time just purchasing… you know, whatever it is that's sort of the straw that broke the camel's back in terms of their household finances," Nicholson said.
Those prices are even impacting the university's supply budget.
"We’re unable to get the number of products that we used to get with the budget that we have now, so, before, say, if you were able to get maybe five boxes of items, we probably can get only two now," Lam said.
While relying on local partners, the pantries are also leaning on community donations.
Nicholson said that since the Safe Families pantry closed last week, they received about two SUVs full of food.
He believes it will only last them three weeks, and he is only a little worried they would have to close again.
He says the pantry is changing their strategy by asking for donations from the community.
"We're aiming to just keep a steady flow if we can so that we're prepared for any circumstances," Nicholson said.
Janet Zinn, who uses the pantry, says if it closed, it would be a major loss to the community.
"We just can't get out like we used to and groceries, I mean, we just, you, we've cut back on everything and, you know, as much as we can, and it's very, very tight for everyone," Zinn said.
“It's just a wonderful thing for the community. Everybody needs a relief, and this is really huge.”
Both pantries at FAMU and Safe Families for Children are asking for community donations.
To donate to the Safe Families for Children pantry, non-perishable items can be dropped off at its office located at 1111 E Tennessee Street, Four Oaks Community Church, and directly to the food pantry during its operating hours from 1:00-2:00 p.m. on Wednesdays at 1190 Capital Circle NE.
Items for the FAMU Food Pantry can be dropped off during operating hours, Monday through Friday, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. in the CASS Building, or cash can be donated through the FAMU Foundation.
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