Food insecurity is growing even as economy opens back up, jobs return

Jobs are starting to return, but the need for food pantries is increasing.

Over the past month, Community Harvest Food Bank has seen a 25% increase in the number of people served, and their community partners have seen an increase as well.

As government assistance ends as we get further into the pandemic, food insecurity is changing in our community.fox 55 caleb saylor is live outside the community harvest food bank to tell us more on how much the need for food is growing.calee hunter, we reported on this problem throughout the pandemic and especially at the beginning, records were set for the number of people served at food pantries throughout our community, but even as businesses have opened back up and jobs come back, the need for assi going isn away.

Times have been tough on people and the question of where the next meal is coming from from is on the mind of more people than ever.

For tim mares his disability along with life events has forced him to use the community harvest food bank for the first time.

T saves me a lot because,e ou know, i just been going through a lot and no way i can, basically, do it on my own because i disabled and everything.

Saturday distributions, community harvest has seen a 25% increase in how many families are seeking help.

The amount of food given out has increased from 90,000 to 115,000 pounds community harvest executive president carmen cumberland says once more evictions start happenening, she expects that number to climb even higher.

Hat if they lose th housing or they need to utilize the only funds they have for that?

They need to come here for food assistance and e here to help, but i see those numbers trending upward.

At purdue fort wayne is one of comm community st partners.

The seen their numbers increase as well.

Health and wellness director eric manor says covid has forced them to open another pantry on cae opened the second pantry at student housing in the club house and that was in direct response to covid and wee opened that and we allow students only in that location, unlike our walb loca students, it community, faculty and staff here.

Shuffle money around to cover othe things, so he says he grateful for the food pantries in our area f i knew, i prob saving me a lot.

?both cumberland and manor says they could always use more food donations, especially shelf stable foods, but coming up at 10:30, hear the plea from cumberland on how you can help the community harvest food bank in a different way.reporting live in fort wayne, caleb saylor.

Fox