Central Texas Food Bank in dire need of funds due to demand for food
AUSTIN, Texas - Dozens of cars lined up Thursday with the Central Texas Food Bank, all to ensure food is not a worry.
“This is really an unprecedented period in our history,” said CTFB president Derrick Chubbs.
Chubbs said the food bank is seeing a massive demand for food since the start of the pandemic. “In the month of September we saw 297,000 people and in the month of October that number was up to 343,000,” said Chubbs.
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One of the biggest obstacles the food bank is facing right now is money. “We need the monetary donations. There are several items on the increase; the cost of food is on the increase and if you’ve been to a grocery store you probably seen that yourself and we are experiencing the same increases,” said Chubbs.
The food bank’s spending on food went from $100,000 a month before the pandemic to now roughly a million. They expect this kind of spending to last well into 2021 and potentially 2022. “The recovery for this level of need is going to be extraordinary,” said Chubbs.
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Another problem the food bank is facing is a need for volunteers as they had to reduce their numbers due to the pandemic. “We still need volunteers to help us build the food boxes we still need volunteers to help us distribute food at her mobile pantry‘s as well as mass distributions,” said Chubbs.
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Last year they passed out 52 million pounds of food. For this year at the end of September, they’ve already given out 64 million pounds. They expect an even high demand this holiday season.