CHARLOTTE, N.C. — It's no secret that inflation impacts the price of just about anything. But for people in the Charlotte area who are food-insecure, the price of groceries hits especially hard at home.
Jacqueline Francis lives in southeast Charlotte and admits the current state of inflation adds extra pressure on her. She's not only disabled but recently found herself homeless.
"I'm trying to hold it together, but it is really hard," she said.
But nonprofits dedicated to filling the nutritional needs of the community are still doing the work. Francis said a box full of produce and dry goods was "a blessing" and can provide food for her family for the next few days.
"I can go to a friend's house and cook it," she said. "If I didn't have my friend and my sister, I don't know what I would be doing, because I'm trying to figure out how I'm going to pay $80 to stay in a hotel for tomorrow."
That box Francis got came from Loaves & Fishes/Friendship Trays, which told WCNC Charlotte the need for groceries has skyrocketed. The nonprofit reports its food pantries has seen a 113% increase in visits in June 2022 when compared to June 2021.
"What we are experiencing now is almost back to pandemic levels," said Tina Postel, CEO of the nonprofit. "There are so many people, because of rising food costs, that can't buy food to put on their tables."
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But even Loaves & Fishes/Friendship Trays is facing difficulty because of inflation. Canned food donations used to come in all the time, but now the nonprofit has to buy truckloads to help meet the need. And Postel said she's seeing something else: the helpers becoming those who need help.
"We are seeing people who used to donate food to us that now need to be recipients of food because money has just gotten to be too tight, and they've struggled to make ends meet," she said.
Every box packed comes with hope and a sense of security. Francis said it's at least one thing she can count on.
"It's going to help me very much," she said, "me and my children. It's going to help us very much."
Contact Jesse Pierre at jpierrepet@wcnc.com or follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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