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‘We’re doing it’: Local food pantry helping families fill in the gap as food prices soar

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Between inflation and gas prices, just about everyone’s finances are taking a hit, especially when it’s time to go to the grocery store.

The latest federal data shows that you and I are paying 10% more for the food we buy at the grocery store now than we did a year ago.

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Action News Jax Courtney Cole takes us to a local food pantry, where they’re working hard to fill the need of the record number of families they’re seeing.

With the cost of living on the rise, every day is a struggle for some families, including a mother Cole spoke to Tuesday.

She wasn’t comfortable showing her face on camera but said she hopes her story will inspire others to get help if they need it.

“As a mother, you do everything that you can. Sometimes as a mother, you feel like a failure. But then when you sit there and think about and you look at your kids, they need to eat. That’s when I had to put my sense of pride down for the help. "

Food prices are expected to increase between 3% and 4% by the end of 2022, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

That makes organizations like Jewish Family and Community Services even more essential to help families fill in the gap.

“I have a family size of five, and I have a lot of boys! With a lot of boys, they eat a lot, so, can you try to make things last as much as you can.”

Courtney Cole: “How many more people would you say you’re seeing?”

Karen McCants, Max Block Food Pantry supervisor: “Every month this year has been a big increase. April was 350 families, almost 1,200 family members.”

Karen McCants, the supervisor of the Max Block Food Pantry at Jewish Family and Community Services, said even they needed help filling their shelves.

“All of us are, we’re a paycheck away from being in our car, out on the curb, waiting for food. And that’s why the demand is just so great,” McCants told Action News Jax.

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Just last week, Winn-Dixie and Winn-Dixie Gives Foundation brought them an emergency delivery of 200 cases of food.

McCants told Cole that cereal and peanut butterfly off their shelves first, but there are some other items that are hard for them to get, too.

“The protein items. Like canned chicken, canned tuna, canned beans. Things that people don’t necessarily think about,” McCants explained.

Last year, the pantry served nearly 140,000 meals to more than 15,000 people. They expect to serve even more this year.

“We are kind of all in this village together. We have to help each other,” McCants said.

If you would like more information about the Jewish Family and Community Services Max Block Food Pantry, click here.

Right now, through the month of July, JFCS has what’s called the Max Block Food Pantry Annual Challenge. Over these three months, every donation made to the food pantry will be matched by the Block family. This will help make sure the pantry can remain stocked year-round.

If you would like to donate, click here.