Food banks in San Diego battling inflation

VISTA, Calif. (KGTV) — A brand new report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics says the price of groceries in San Diego County went down by .9% between February and March, however costs are nonetheless close to document highs. That places stress on San Diegans like Agripina, who bought laid off from her job simply months after having her six-month-old daughter.

“I went on maternity, got here again two days then I used to be laid off,” stated Agripina. “It was lots of sleepless nights, questioning how I am gonna do it. Simply with feeding her and offering for her.”

So she turns to the San Diego Meals Financial institution to make ends meet.

“It is wonderful,” stated Agripina. “To know that I’ll have some kind of meals supply for her is nice.”

She’s not alone. The San Diego Meals Financial institution says demand has stayed excessive since grocery costs surged through the pandemic.

“I can let you know right here on the San Diego Meals Financial institution, earlier than COVID, we had been spending about one million {dollars} a yr on buying meals,” stated Vanessa Ruiz, Vice President of Operations on the San Diego Meals Financial institution. “We’re now shopping for eight to 10 million {dollars} value of meals a yr.”

This comes as pandemic allotments for the CalFresh program ended final month, slamming the hundreds of people that already battle to purchase sufficient meals.

“We’re gonna begin planning for an increasing number of households to doubtlessly come to meals pantries across the county, as a result of they do not have that more money that that they had of their CalFresh advantages anymore,” stated Ruiz. “But when it means extra persons are gonna be counting on the San Diego Meals Financial institution to assist them, we’re gonna determine it out.”

The San Diego Meals Financial institution says they’ll present two meals to folks in want for only a greenback. If you wish to be taught extra or donate, you may go to their web site.