ROCKFORD, Mich. — Supply chain issues have become the norm over the past two years. Impacting nearly every industry, inflation has caused prices to jump at grocery stores, and it's also impacting food pantries.
"About this time last year our food prices were up 56 percent because of supply chain issues," Said Bridget Clark Whitney, CEO of Kids Food Basket. "It's not as high right now, but certainly continues to be a barrier."
Even though prices have dropped, there seems to be another issue rearing it's head - lack of options. The shelves are stocked, but the choices are limited.
"We're doing our best to combat the lack of food donations by purchasing items at wholesale costs, but even that has its limits." Said Molly Kooi with Feeding America West Michigan. "There are some items we simply can't get, so we've needed to improvise."
The need to improvise is also being felt heavily at North Kent Connect. Food Programs Manager Beverly Bouma says fresh fruits and veggies are difficult to maintain a constant supply of, and specific proteins can be even more challenging. She mentioned being out of ground beef for a short time - during that time they had to recommend alternative protein options for families like chicken and fish, or canned items like stew and sloppy joes.
Throughout the year, North Kent Connect offers a farm stand program that offers fresh produce in addition to the food pantry, allowing families that are finding grocery store pricing inaccessible to still have access to healthy options.
"When groceries get more expensive a lot of times fresh fruits and vegetables, the more expensive items are the first to drop off the list," Said Bouma. She says the farm stand offers discounted pricing with no questions asked, or full price can be paid to help support programs like the food pantry.
To find food a food pantry near you, follow this link to access the Feeding America West Michigan Food Finder