Dear Friends,
As we adjust to Daylight Savings Time, we also embrace the hope of spring just around the corner. Flowers are blooming, birds are chirping, and days are getting increasingly longer. Spring is a beautiful reminder that, however dark and dreary your season of life, there is the promise of bright and beautiful days ahead. 2020 may be behind us, but the after-effects of such a harsh time in America remains.
Before the pandemic, national food insecurity levels were the lowest they had been in 20 years--yet 35.2 million individuals, including 10.7 million children, lived in food insecure households. Because of COVID-19, progress made to food insecurity in the U.S. will likely be wiped out and will take years to overcome. People are paying higher prices for their groceries during the pandemic, including a nearly 50-year record rise in food costs in April 2020. This makes it harder for people and families dealing with job and income losses to afford food. Communities are continuing to face food insecurity and need the resources offered by the Food Shuttle more than ever.
Because of your support, over the last year the Food Shuttle has been able to:
Increase distribution by 55%
Help more than 75,000 people monthly through Mobile Markets
Increase our food budget by 1,000% to meet rising costs
Invest $150,000 into our partner agency network
Launch new programs to meet the needs of those most disproportionately impacted by the pandemic
Acknowledging that the crisis our communities are facing will in fact continue, even as we begin to step out of the darkness of 2020, is half of the battle. Recognizing our efforts, programs, and resources offer a path to self sufficiency for those facing hunger is crucial in continuing our mission. Only through community taking care of community can we survive the dark times of 2020 and meet the challenges that come our way as we maintain hope for a brighter tomorrow.
Yours in service,
L. Ron Pringle
President and CEO