NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Local food distribution charities report that they’re seeing a rise within the variety of individuals needing food assistance.
Non-profit food organizations list increased food costs, low wages and dependency on a limited variety of charities are amongst the varied explanation why so many are still reaching out for food parcels at an increasing rate despite employment being up for the reason that height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hands for Hunger (H4H) Executive Director, Kiesha Ellis says that the charity conducts a food insecurity survey every 12 months, to help in keeping track of the proportion of individuals within the Bahamas that suffer from malnutrition.
The 2022 survey results showed that the necessity for food assistance has not decreased in comparison with last 12 months or the 12 months before.
“Our research shows that 1 in 3 people worry that they might not have enough food to eat and 1 in 5 people have gone a complete day without eating because they’ve not been in a position to afford food,” she said.
“These numbers shine a shiny light on the truth of the situation within the country. Hands for Hunger stays steadfast in our fight to eliminate hunger.
“The demand for food assistance has not lessened since we have now come out of the worst parts of the pandemic. Although lots of our clients have been in a position to find work, they find that their wages are only not enough to cover even their basic needs” Ellis said.
H4H also has a delivery service through which food is packaged and brought from restaurants, hotels, and supermarkets to be distributed at centers. Ellis adds that together with inflation and folks struggling to make ends meet, the organizations’ budget is stretched and each little bit of donation counts.
“As is the case for many individuals within the Bahamas, we’re really feeling the results of inflation and continuously rising food prices; whenever you add to this the recent surge in gas prices, we will fully appreciate the identical challenges that the those who we serve are coping with.
“If not for the sort donations of corporate and personal individuals, some donating as little as $5.00 or simply just a few canned goods, we’d not have been in a position to serve the 1000’s of those who rely on us.”
Executives on the Bahamas Feeding network echoed Ellis’ statements.
Bahamas Feeding Network Executive Director, James Palacious said: “Through the pandemic, we’d given so rather more food around, so many more people (charities/organizations) were doing it; and when people were unemployed, quite naturally, they needed more food from various organizations.
“In our case, it has not leveled off. You continue to see a growing number of individuals because some people (charities/organizations) who used to do it during COVID don’t do it anymore.
“So numerically, it is likely to be a drop off if you desire to have a look at it from that perspective; but from the opposite perspective, it is unquestionably a growing number of people that still need the food” he said.
Access to resources just like the non-perishable items that the Bahamas Feeding Network often distributes presents one other problem, in line with Palacious.
Each Ellis and Palacious say assistance from the private and non-private partners are an enormous assist in aiding food security they usually proceed to ask for donations.
