According to a report released Sept. 2 by the Los Angeles Regional Foodbank, high unemployment rates have contributed to an astounding increase in the demand for food in LA County.
One LA Foodbank report projected sour economic times and a growing hunger problem in California.
“Interviews of recipients at food pantries indicate that many adults, who previously did not require food assistance, now require help due to a lack of employment,” the report said.
The account estimated that the number of unemployed people has gone up by about 300,000 since the beginning of the recession in late 2007.
One cause of the spike in demand is a three-fold increase in the Commodity Supplemental Food Program, which produces monthly food boxes for senior citizens. Another program seeing a “significant increase” is the Summer Food Service Program, which serves daily lunches to children during the summer.
Although the foodbank’s capacity to provide food has increased, there are fears that demand may have already outstripped the supply of food on hand. The report states that the foodbank is distributing 17 million more meals than it was providing two years ago, but that food pantries are being forced to economize and shut down nevertheless.
“Even with this foodbank volume increase, many food pantries are forced to turn away clients, reduce the size of food packages, close their doors periodically and cope with the continued increase in the demand for food assistance in other ways,” the report said.
Perhaps the most disturbing part of the report is that California may be entering a “new normal” of “high unemployment and reduced work hours in many industries which will, in turn, continue to restrain economic growth.”
The report concludes by warning that future food needs may not be met by charitable assistance alone but instead with better use of food stamps.
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