The Capital Area Food Bank of Texas has seen a 60 percent increase in need over this time last year in the 350 Central Texas agencies it serves, said Kerri Qunell, vice president of communications.
As a result, "there are less staple foods available for all agencies," she said.
While output has increased, so has demand, she said. "We're still working to stay ahead of the curve."
The issue has touched at least one Temple agency - Churches Touching Lives for Christ - which has had difficulty obtaining items such as corn, green beans, soups and canned fruit in small cans, director Cynthia Russell said.
"People are not quitting their donations. They're working diligently to take care of the needy," she said. "It's not that we're in dire need. We just can't get the kinds of things we need."
Russell appealed last week to about 30 local churches of various denominations that give to the agency, asking for those specific items. "If we're in need of anything, they're good about getting it to us," she said of the churches.
As for the demand, Russell said the agency is seeing "a lot of new people" and people who haven't been in for four or five years.
Qunell said upcoming food drives will help offset the hike in demand.
"We anticipate that with the holiday season coming up, we will have an increase in our food drives," she said.
One local food drive, Friends Feeding Friends conducted by Bell-Temple Board of Realtors on Oct. 8, collected more than 16,000 pounds of food, as well as funds the Bell-Temple Board of Realtors will distribute to agencies in Temple, Belton and Salado, Qunell said.
There are about 30 agencies and churches in Bell County that receive food from the Capital Area Food Bank.
tleytham@temple-telegram.com
