SAN ANTONIO — Inflation is hitting the San Antonio Food Bank as it prepares to help feed thousands of families this Thanksgiving.
CEO Eric Cooper said this holiday will be the most expensive his team has experienced in years. The result: The food bank is not able to provide as many families with a Thanksgiving turkey compared to last year, though the food bank is still planning on distributing 12,000 of them.
But the clock is ticking. They still need to collect 2,000 before Wednesday.
“The cost of Thanksgiving, when you think of the cost of a turkey and yams and stuffing and mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce – all of the things that make Thanksgiving – are, due to inflation, at the highest prices we’ve ever seen,” Cooper said.
He said that, during the pandemic, the demand for help from the food bank rose. It has yet to slow down.
“We are at pandemic-level demand,” Cooper said.
It's an overwhelming situation, he says. Across the 29 counties the food bank serves throughout South Texas, more than 800,000 people have used their services in the last 12 months.
“That’s almost one in three people who are leaning on the food bank for some food or programming or service, and that sends a message that the economy is not doing well,” Cooper said.
Still, the CEO says they're determined to help families, especially during the holidays.
“Rent, utilities, transportation, childcare—all of those expenses have gobbled up what money is in the household budget," Cooper said. "There just isn’t enough to buy food and to be able to execute on a tradition like Thanksgiving."
He said, so far, they have blessed 10,000 families with a Thanksgiving turkey, but are looking to help 2,000 more households.
If you would like to donate a turkey, you can visit the food bank during its normal business hours. Cooper said you can also donate money online.
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