Mazon, a national non-profit dedicated to hunger relief, conducted a survey of 133 emergency food providers in 2008. The survey found that:
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In the first half of 2008, food bank and emergency food providers’ fuel bills rose an average of 37%, with costs in rural areas increasing 46%, compared to the similar period in 2007.
Food banks are paying an average of 12% more for food in 2008 than they did in 2007, yet total poundage of food they distributed increased by only 3%.
Food banks are receiving fewer donations from corporate donors due to improvements in food production and the increase in the number of discount stores in the secondary market that sell food products. Individuals are also donating less due to the impact of the economic crisis.
There has been a significant increase in the number of first-time pantry visitors who represent a new client demographic.
http://www.mazon.org/source/pdf/Food-Fuel-Survey-10-21-08.pdf