TRI-CITIES, Wash. – According to a report by Feeding Washington, food banks saw more people coming to them for food during the pandemic. The situation is repeating itself with inflation, causing the food banks to try to keep up. That same report said one in ten people in Washington are food insecure and may need to know when they will eat next.
Marlando and Stephanie Sparks own Restoration Community Market in Kennewick; the owners said the food bank doubled in people who needed food the week of Thanksgiving alone.
“During the holidays, the numbers always seem to increase, and keeping items on the shelves is difficult,” said Marlando Sparks. “Within 30 minutes, 200, maybe 180 meals were gone.”
Sparks and his family opened the Restoration Market this past February to battle food insecurity. Marlando’s wife, Stephanie, said that with the upcoming holidays and inflation, food banks are more important than ever. Stephanie said the market is in need of volunteers.
“Holidays It is just crucial we have it there for them,” said Stephanie Sparks. “There’s so many more that come forward during the holidays and are already struggling and so they want to be able to provide for their family.”
Drew Meuer, the President of Second Harvest, said food leaves the Second Harvest warehouse as soon as it comes in so they are always looking for donations or volunteers.
“More than half the pantries we serve report increases in the number of households seeking assistance,” said Meuer. “So need really remains elevated over this time last year and stubbornly high as compared to the pandemic.”
Meuer said the organization was handing out food at Edgar Brown Stadium in Pasco. They helped over 360 families and were only prepared for between 250 and 300 families. The sparks tell me they see similar things in their pantry.
