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Food banks stretching resources as distribution costs increase

Rising costs are making it harder for food banks to meet increased demand.

Jeff McDonald with Fresh Connect Central at Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana says higher shipping costs are making food distribution more difficult.

“It used to cost about $3,000 about a year ago to move something from Indianapolis to Colorado, and now that’s almost doubled,” he says. “That’s just more money that all of the food banks and other organizations are battling.”

He tells Brownfield hunger relief groups are being forced to do more with limited resources.

“Budgets are either staying stagnant or maybe even decreasing because of the difficulties in getting funding secured,” he says. “When you have food costs rising and demand rising, it’s kind of all a perfect storm making it extra challenging.”

McDonald says increasing partnerships with farmers, community partners, and agribusinesses remains critical to addressing food insecurity.

AUDIO: Jeff McDonald, Fresh Connect Central at Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana