Food banks struggle to meet surprising demand

James Ziliak, who founded the Center for Poverty Research at the University of Kentucky, said the increased demand is surprising since the economy is growing and unemployment has dropped from 10 percent during the recession to 5.3 percent last month.

The drop in food stamp rolls by nearly 2.5 million people from recession levels could be contributing to the food bank demand, he said, because people who no longer qualify for the government aid may still not earn enough to pay their bills.

According to the U.S. Labor Department, wages and salaries rose only 0.2 percent in the second quarter of the year.

The group coordinates donations from larger retailers, like Walmart, while local food banks also seek food from smaller businesses and buy groceries with donated money.

The recession helped boost public awareness of food banks, which helped increase donations but also may account for more people seeking assistance.  

Hank Perrett, president and chief executive officer of the Capital Area Food Bank of Texas, said the influx of new residents has been part of the problem, pushing up housing prices.