Vermont Foodbank's Supply Is Down as Demand Goes Up

November 06, 2007

Volunteers at the Vermont Foodbank spent Monday night sorting food that will be distributed to the estimated 14,000 people expected to access a food shelf this week. Volunteer Nancie Austin-Bradley said hunger usually doesn't get the attention it deserves.

"I do think a lot of people just ignore it," she said. "If they have enough for their own selves, they're not thinking about others."

The warehouse at the Vermont Foodbank in Barre provides two-thirds of the food given to hungry people at 279 local food shelves and meal sites around the state. While the volunteers had new shipments of food to sort, company officials said it would not be enough; demand is up in 12 of the state's 14 counties.

"People lose their seasonal jobs in construction and other outdoor-related activities, and low-income families have increased costs," explained Doug O'Brien, CEO of the Vermont Foodbank. "They have higher fuel costs, utility costs, and they can be hit particularly hard."

While demand for the Foodbank's services is up, supply is down.

The center collects food from local manufacturers and grocery stores, national food companies like Kraft and Kellogg and government surpluses. O'Brien said his supply has dropped 50 percent from this time a year ago. He said the USDA has cut its shipments over the past four years, from 1.2 million pounds of food donated to Vermont in 2003 to 300,000 pounds now.

"In the case of the federal commodities, we're down 70 percent, and that's what's bringing our overall inventory down," O'Brien said. "Ordinarily we'd be able to weather it, but because of this time of the year when demand typically spikes, it has put us and the food shelves in a very difficult situation."

A Foodbank spokesperson said the USDA doesn't have to subsidize farmers the way it once did. Farmers can get a good price for their crops on the open market, so they aren't selling as much surplus to the government.

O'Brien said the farm bill the Senate is debating would increase the amount of food the USDA buys. While he's hopeful that bill will pass and help food shelves in the future, the need is here now.

"We're asking folks to donate time, money, or especially food this time of year," he said.

People who want to volunteer their time or donate food should contact their local food shelves directly. You can find yours through the Vermont Foodbank's Web site, www.vtfoodbank.org.

Kate Duffy - WCAX News

November 06, 2007

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