United Food Bank sees increasing demands, seeks help from local communities

The summer season is the most challenging for food banks. With school out and demands for food increasing, food banks are calling for help from the communities in their area of service.

Shayna Beasley, Chief Philanthropy and Communications Officer of United Food Bank, joined “Arizona Horizon” to discuss the impact food banks have and how people can help.

The United Food bank is in the middle of what is called, “The summer of 1 million meals“, which includes 3 telethons across the summer. This campaign is to raise awareness for the need for food banks and the need for support throughout the summer.

“The campaign kicked off May 14th; it runs through Labor Day,” Beasley said. “It really is a big community wide effort to bring awareness to the issue.”

When it comes to the food banks themselves, there are wide demographics in the lines, between parents, veterans, and immigrants.

“A lot of people who didn’t imagine themselves in that line.” Beasly said when talking about the issue.

One of the largest factors in the summer issues this year is the jump in inflation. With the food bank serving about 140,000 people every month, they have to work with their community to fight that challenge. The food banks work with local non-profits, sending all of the food to the other pantries that are trying to solve the same issues. .

“We are a part of the feeding America network. There are 4 of them here in Arizona and we are the one that helps the east valley,” she said. “From tempe, Gilbert, Chandler, all those communities. and then we go up towards southern navajo and apache counties, so communities like payson and show low.”

The summer program is to help the bank raise money, aiming for a goal of 1 million dollars to help with fuel and meal distribution. The bank felt that they were able to aim that high because the community has been able to step up in the past and they are hoping for the same this year.

“We are in a small space trying to do the best with what we can and the community has really stepped up.” Beasley said when explaining the true impact the valley has on the issues.