At Community Action Services and Food Bank (CASFB), we’re seeing a significant increase in people needing assistance than we did this time last year, with our Provo Pantry alone up by 2.5 times the amount. There is a huge need for donations as families are being hit hard by inflationary pricing and the effects of an incessant recession. Increasingly, working families are finding it difficult to stretch their income to match the days left in the month.

At CASFB we’re committed to ending food insecurity. As the number of households in need continues to grow and donations slow down, we call on all Utahns to join us in caring for our friends and neighbors. Read on to learn more about the situation and opportunities to give.

Households in Need Continue to Grow

The good news is that, in general, the poverty rate in Utah has been on a steady decline since its high of 13.5% in 2011, coming in at only 8.6% in 2021. And that’s still better than the national rate of 11.6% in 2021.

However, now is no time to rest on our laurels. Many households are struggling with the rising cost of groceries, and various safety net programs are undergoing changes. In early February, the Department of Workforce Services announced that it will be ending its pandemic-related boost in federal food stamp benefits in March. On top of that, the agency is no longer accepting applications for emergency rent and utility assistance. Those families in difficult situations now will be in even harder situations a month from now.

Courtesy Tom Hogan

Of course, periods of intense need can hit without warning, even when you’ve done everything right and built a financial safety net. For example, I recently met a guest in our Springville pantry, picking up supplies for her one-wage-earner household of eight. Four months prior, this family’s bank account was hacked and a credit card was established in their name. Before the family caught what was happening, the culprits emptied a $10,000 savings account and charged over $25,000 on the credit card — a net loss of $35,000.

Had the pantry not been a resource to this family, their home and/or car might have been repossessed, not to mention the potential obliteration of their good credit score. As this guest told me, “We aren’t long-time users of this resource, but we are glad it was here to be of assistance.”

Donations Slow Down

Unfortunately, as the need for food assistance increases, donations have decreased. At CASFB, our food donations are down by about 50,000 pounds per month over the last year. Many factors have added to this reality, supply chain issues and product availability being principal.

Proteins in particular are at a notable decrease over the last year. You’ve likely noticed the rise in the price of eggs, due to an ongoing egg shortage as the egg industry recovers from last year’s avian flu outbreak. We have also noted a reduction in fresh meats from the grocery rescue stores.

While we have been blessed to always be able to meet need, I’ve increasingly found my job to be focused on staying ahead of need. The stark reality is that, at this rate, we only have one full month of reserve food in our warehouse. If we are to stay abreast of the growing need, we’re going to need a huge infusion of donations.

Opportunities to Give Abound

At CASFB, there is always an opportunity to help out. Here are just a few:

Giving Tuesday Challenge: Every Tuesday, we issue a challenge to donate specific items that are in high demand at our pantries. Past examples include diapers, boxes of Hamburger Helper and fresh produce. These challenges are often focused on items that get overlooked when making a donation run but are vital to families in need. Watch for our challenges by following us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Feed Utah Food Drive: On March 18, Utahns will once again be able to show their generosity of spirit and love for humanity by participating in the Feed Utah Food Drive. CASFB and other food banks and pantries throughout the state ask that you give generously by dropping food off at any pantry or your local Macey’s Grocery Store, or leaving bags of food on your porch. These bags will be picked up by youth volunteers and deposited at collection points throughout the state.

When this drive was last conducted, in 2021, our network of food pantries received 245,000 pounds of nonperishable food. In order to stay ahead of growing needs, we will need to meet or even better, beat last year’s donations.

Specific challenges may be temporary, but there will always be those in need of a helping hand. At Community Action Services and Food Bank, we invite you to answer the growing need of your fellow Utahns by giving of your time and substance at any of our affiliated pantries. Together, we can feed our brothers and sisters.

Tom Hogan is the COO of Community Action Services and Food Bank in Provo. CASFB is located at 815 S. Freedom Blvd., Ste. 100. For more information on educational programs, how to make donations, upcoming classes, food drives and more, visit communityactionprovo.org or call (801) 373-8200.