Local nonprofit speaks on difficulty to keep up with food demand increase amid the pandemic
Philabundance says while the need for food is up, donations are down by 60%.
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Volunteers at Philabundance, one of the largest food relief organizations in the Delaware Valley, have been working nonstop.
The organization is grappling with how to feed more families than they are used to serving due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Chances are somebody you know, a relative, someone whose a business owner and no longer has access to that business, is food insecure," said Philabundance CEO Loree Jones.
A recent report by the USDA showed while food insecurity from 2019 to 2020 remained the same at 13.8 million households nationwide, it rose significantly for Black and Hispanic households.
"The reality is, food insecurity is about finances. It's really about the economy and individuals who don't have access to enough money. Then they don't have access to enough food," Jones said.
According to the USDA's Food Access Research Atlas showed that food deserts align closely with neighborhoods of color.
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6abc's Data Journalism Team shows the food insecurity rates in each of the local counties from Feeding America's 2019 data show:
Philadelphia: 14.4% food insecure
Delaware County: 8.5% food insecure
Bucks County: 7.2% food insecure.
Montgomery County: 6.9% food insecure
Chester County: 6.3% food insecure
Philabundance says while the need for food is up, donations are down by 60%. Last year the organization spent $500,000 a month on food, four times more than their budget.
The organization encourages everyone to do their part in helping out, especially with the holidays soon approaching.
