South Plains Food Bank struggles with shortages, inflation

LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) - Inflation is affecting the South Plains, causing more families to need assistance and leaving the South Plains Food Bank in a pinch.

Chase Head, the Chief Development Officer at South Plains Food Bank says, “We were distributing to about 500 families a day, now we are up to about 700 and that’s just been over the last 6 months.”

As nationwide inflation rises the local need for assistance rises with it.

“Our lines and the people that we are supporting is only increasing so we are up about 40%,” said Head.

The South Plains Food Bank is struggling to keep up with the demand, after all, they too are paying high prices for food.

“The cheapest truckload being $30,000-$40,000, a truckload of peanut butter being closer to $60,000,” said Head.

Those truckloads took the place of food drives. Before the pandemic, Head says most people used food drives to clean out their pantries, resulting in half of all donated goods being thrown out.

“The USDA and the FDA have different guidelines on what we can hand out. If it is expired or dented we have to throw that away,” Head said.

That means the food bank only accepts funds, not food. Head says that is the only way to ensure all the money is being used efficiently and effectively.

“An example is if you go to the store with a dollar you may get a can of corn that you can donate to us. That same dollar, if you donate through the food bank, can buy three meals,” said Head.

Head tells us families fighting food insecurity are receiving half the amount of food given out normally.

“It hurts us to have to do that but really it is our only choice right now to get through this spell. We are short on food and short on dollars to be able to purchase what we need to be able to supply what we have in the past,” Head said.

If you are interested in donating to the South Plains Food Bank, click here.

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