Food insecurity and the holidays

Food insecurity is top-of-mind for many going into the holiday season — even more so in 2020 amidst a global pandemic.

EVERY YEAR -- YOU'RESURE TO FIND USCOVERING STORIES ONGROUPS HELPINGFAMILIES IN NEED FILLTHEIR THANKSGIVINGTABLE.IT'S A NEED THAT NEVERGOES AWAY NO MATTERTHE YEAR.BUT THIS YEAR -- THENEED IS ENHANCED -- ASJOBS LOST IN THISPANDEMIC HIT THEWALLETS OF FAMILIESACROSS OUR REGION.41 ACTION NEWSREPORTER SARAH PLAKELEARNED HOW FOODPANTRIES ARE WORKINGTO KEEP UP WITH DEMAND.Sarah Plake / ReportingWe talked to a couple foodpantries in the metro andthey're finding the need now islarger than when thepandemic began.

So now it'smaking sure that they'remeeting everyone's needsgoing into the holidays.Food pantries are feeling thecrunch trying to provide somelight and love to thecommunity right now.Lea Morvan / Student and FoodPantry CoordinatorThere's been an influx ofpeople come in, students,staff, and faculty.

Thoughmost people are coming arestudents cause they dont haveaccess to as much help andthere's usually a lot of thingsweighing on themThe Feed Your Friends foodpantry at Avila Universityopened last spring before thepandemic.

Since then, they'vereally seen how students facefood insecurity.This food pantry opened at themost amazing time becausewe were able to supply thathelp for people and we'vebeen trying to get the word outthere.Jewish Family Services hasoperated a couple foodpantries since 2012..

Usuallythey'd serve 450 families amonth..

But now they'rehelping more than 900families every month.Jo Hickey / Food pantrydirector,Jewish Family ServicesThey may not even knowthey're looking for food but ifJFS can help supplement theirgrocery bill, that's money thatcan be allotted to otherresources and help meet otherneeds the family might have.Many federal help programsare set to expire at the end ofthe year, such as certainunemployment benefits,student loan forbearance, anda nation ban on evictions.

IfCongress doesn't pass a reliefpackage, the nee