CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – A survey done for DC-based Share Our Strength’s No Did Hungry Virginia campaign shows rising food costs are putting nearly half — 45% — of Virginians into debt, and the challenge is even more pronounced in the Charlottesville area. The survey finds for families with kids in school, that percentage rises to 52%.
No Kid Hungry notes as consumers continue to navigate high living costs, they asked more than 1,100 Virginians how grocery affordability is impacting their daily lives and families. More than eight in ten Virginians (84%) say the cost of food is rising faster than their income, nearly identical to findings (83%) from 2024.
Blue Area Food Bank’s Les Sinclair says they’ve been seeing that in demand with visits to their pantries up 16% over last year… which was up 16% from the year before…