Salinas, CA Food Bank Cupboards Running Dry

View From A Non-Profit Serving Carmel, Carmel Valley, Gonzalez, Greenfield, King City, Marina, Monterey, Pacific Grove, Pebble Beach, Salinas, Seaside And Soledad California

I've written many times on my blog about how the myriad state and federal budget cuts have impacted many of the poorest who need the help the most.  The latest evidence comes from a story in USA Today that many food banks have bare cupboards because the federal government is buying less food for the needy, even as food banks see record numbers of people asking for help.  One church interviewed for the article told the reporter that they see 500 people a month, double the number from one year ago, while the amount of government food the pantry received has dropped from 200 cases of canned food a year ago to 32 currently.  This is due to cuts from the Emergency Food Assistance Program which buys up surplus food and gives it to food banks.  In the last fiscal year, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), which administers the program, bought 421 million pounds of food.  In the latest fiscal year, they bought only 129 pounds.  This is a sad situation where, once again, the people who need help the most aren't getting it.