Food banks nationwide face staffing, supply shortages

Food banks are experiencing food, staff and volunteer shortages.

Local food banks nationwide are struggling to keep up with demand, due to staffing and food shortages as the omicron COVID-19 surge continues to ravage the country.

"Food banks across the nation provide hope and help to people every day and we all need to stand shoulder to shoulder and work on the hunger problems in our country," said Brett Meredith, the CEO of the Community Food Bank of Central Alabama,

The pandemic has exacerbated the need for assistance, as millions of people continue to face unemployment, food insecurity and poverty, according to the Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey.

The survey found that almost 23 million people either "sometimes" or "often" did not have enough to eat, and 200 million people said their household experienced a loss in employment income in the last month.