A nonprofit that helps stock Rockland County's food pantries is sounding a warning about growing demand for that assistance as household costs rise and the federal government pulls back on aid.
A new report by Congers-based TOUCH shows 83,000 people relied on Rockland pantries and meal programs in April, a jump of 10,000 from just two months earlier. More people are in need now than at the height of the COVID pandemic, and yet the federal grants that bolstered Rockland's food distribution during and after that crisis have now run out.
"The status quo is unacceptable," said Julian Palmer, TOUCH's executive director, as he called for renewed support from all levels of government for proven remedies for food insecurity.
The report comes at the start
of Hunger Action Month, a campaign held every September to raise awareness of food insecurity and seek all manners of help, whether through volunteering, advocacy or donations.
A striking level of need in Rockland
The level of need in Rockland may be a little surprising, given its $104,000 median household income. But the report cites more sobering figures: 54% of the county's households are struggling to make ends meet, and 12% of residents live below the poverty level (the U.S. Census Bureau pegs Rockland's poverty count higher, at 15% of a population of 357,000).
The report outlines a litany of factors that are straining household budgets and food pantries:
- Food prices keep rising and are now up 35% since 2020
- Congress made cuts in SNAP food aid last year that could drive more people to pantries (more than 50,000 people in Rockland benefit from SNAP grocery subsidies)
- The Trump administration cut funding for food banks last year
TOUCH coordinates the distribution of more than a million pounds of food per year through one of its programs. Those donations are collected from supermarkets and other sources and delivered to more than 40 pantries in Rockland. Various organizations, such as Catholic Charities and Meals on Wheels, provide drivers and vans to do that work.
Last year's distribution by TOUCH and its partners in the Rockland Community Against Hunger coalition topped 1.4 million pounds. The projection for this year is even higher: 1.5 million pounds.
The report stresses the importance of sufficient food and nutrition to child development, and notes that an estimated 1 in 6 children in Rockland lacks secure access to food.
TOUCH, which stands for Together Our Unity Can Heal, is a multi-duty organization formed in 1989 in the midst of the AIDS crisis to help people with HIV — work that it still does along with its food distribution efforts. It played a key role in relief efforts during the COVID pandemic.
Chris McKenna covers government and politics for The Journal News and USA TODAY Network. Reach him at CMcKenna@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Rockland nonprofit urges government to meet food pantries growing need
