Nathaniel Bolden and Cheryl Schultz were thankful for the free baked beans and hot dogs they ate Wednesday at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church.
Both homeless and without jobs, the two cleaned and mopped the floor to show
their gratitude.
Schultz said she lost her job at a real estate agency in October. Bolden said he hasn't been able to find a paying job for the past year, even though he volunteers at churches to show he is willing to work.
Those who operate soup kitchens and feed the needy say they are struggling to keep up with the rising demand for meals as the amount of donated food declines and food costs rise.
''I'm afraid my supplies won't meet the demands,'' said Andrea Blackert, executive director of the Community Kitchens of Birmingham, which serves meals at St. Andrews on Southside and Grace Episcopal Church in Woodlawn. ''We'll have to do a little bit more of stretching items.''
The supply of donated food from area food banks - big warehouses that are instrumental in stocking pantries at churches and soup kitchens - is shrinking as farm surplus commodities, given to the food banks by the federal government, decrease.
Officials with America's Second Harvest, the nation's food bank network, attribute the food shortage mainly to a steep decline in government surpluses, or bonuses, that provide inventory for the food banks. The network also says the country's economic downturn, with gas prices soaring above $3 a gallon, and the cost of staples such as milk, bread and eggs surging to record levels, aggravate an already serious situation.
''All across the country our food banks are worrying about meeting the demand,'' said Ross Fraser, a spokesman for the hunger-relief organization, which annually provides assistance to more than 25 million needy people.
Food bank operators in Alabama said they are not stopping food delivery or closing doors, but they are scaling back.
''The orders might be cut a little bit,'' said Larry Logan, executive director of the United Way Community Food Bank Inc., which supplies food to 170 such agencies, churches, soup kitchens and food pantries. ''We are not cutting anybody off.''
The drop in federal aid stems from the reduction in surplus of goods from agricultural producers. Overseas trade and strong farm prices have stabilized the market, so the federal government is not having to buy as much surplus canned meat, asparagus, apples and raisins.
According to figures from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Nutrition and Consumer Services, the federal government purchased $319 million in extra commodities in 2001, and $67 million five years later.
In Birmingham, Logan said the United Way Community Food Bank received 4 million pounds of bonus commodity products such as powdered milk, juice and canned fruits from the government in 2003. In 2006, the amount dwindled to 800,000 pounds.
In the meantime, food bank operators are looking for new and more affordable sources of nutrition. For instance, instead of buying tuna, which has gone up in price, they may opt for pasta or fresh fruit.
Farm bill
They are also hoping for the passage of a multibillion-dollar farm bill that would expand funding for anti-hunger programs, including the USDA's supplemental food program. Logan said communityorganized food drives also have offered relief to offset shortages.
But last year the food bank tapped into its budget and spent about $380,000 to buy more food, he said. ''It really strains you when you do that.''
Blackert said Community Kitchens is facing increased prices when buying what used to be inexpensive food items to stretch a dinner. Blackert said they used to pay $30 for a case of tuna that could make two meals, but a case of tuna now is $58.
Costs to deliver food are rising with soaring gasoline prices. A gallon of regular unleaded averaged $3.19 statewide on Wednesday, compared to $2.44 a gallon in 2007, according to Clay Ingram, spokesman for AAA-Alabama. The record high was $3.21 on March 16.
Anne Eissler, deputy director of the Montgomery Area Food Bank, said the organization is using so-called mobile pantries. ''This way, we can distribute 10,000 to 15,000 pounds of food in a two-hour period.''
She said the food bank is also cutting back on the number of pickup and delivery trips, combining two or three deliveries into one trip to help with gas costs.
''We are fortunate to have found ways to get around some of the obstacles,'' Eissler said. ''We are doing OK. We're holding our own.''
Organizations worry
Organizations dedicated to ending hunger say they are concerned that the food shortage comes as more families are asking for help to put food on the table.
''My prayer is it will get better because the need is increasing,'' said Paulette Van Matre, executive director at the Magic City Harvest, a nonprofit prepared- and perishable-food recovery program that distributes donated excess food to organizations serving those in need.
Magic City distributes to 30 feeding programs in three counties - Jefferson, Shelby and Talladega. She said there are 15 programs on a waiting list and five more called recently to get on the list.
Van Matre said more people are having to choose between paying for rent and gas to keep a job and eating.
''These are people who are not homeless, but they can't make ends meet,'' she said.
She said Magic City Harvest has seen a drop in food donations, but the organization is blessed to receive food from major restaurants and retail outlets committed to feeding the hungry.
With more people in need, Van Matre said, it's even more important to prevent good food from being needlessly tossed away.
''Our big thing is not to feed a Dumpster,'' she said, ''but to feed a person in need.''Birmingham News
