Food pantries throughout Niagara County are reporting growing demand as rising grocery prices, housing costs and recent changes to federal food assistance programs push more residents to seek help putting food on the table.
From Niagara Falls to North Tonawanda and rural communities such as Newfane, food pantry operators say they are seeing increasing numbers of families, seniors and working residents struggling to keep up with everyday expenses.
Many organizations report that food insecurity, which surged during the COVID-19 pandemic, has remained stubbornly high even as other parts of the economy have improved. With inflation continuing to impact household budgets and federal SNAP benefit changes beginning to take effect, local providers fear demand could increase even further in the months ahead…