PHOENIX — With the holidays quickly approaching, thousands of families here in Arizona are struggling to put food on the table.
But Valley food banks are working overtime to try to meet those needs, to ensure no one goes without.
"The holidays are really when families gather together and it’s always around food,” said Grace Astor with the United Food Bank in Mesa.
That’s why she says it’s so important to make sure every family across the Valley doesn’t go hungry, not only around the holidays but all year long.
Typically, they distribute 50,000 meals every day.
“Last year we distributed to over 2,000 Arizona families,” said Astor.
And this year, they’re expecting even more.
“On a national level, we’ve seen a 30% increase in food insecurity year after year after year,” Astor said. “It’s the highest we’ve seen since 2014.”
Astor said they’re finding some people are going through ongoing struggles, while others are experiencing the need for assistance for the first time.
“Something happens to their car and now they have to spend a bunch of money that they weren’t expecting, or they have a health crisis,” she said.
Their biggest need for donations? Turkeys.
“If you can drop a turkey off, please do that,” said Astor.
United Food Bank is also looking for other food items year-round. The list includes canned meat, fruit and veggies, whole grain cereal, peanut butter, rice, pasta, soup, stew, chili, and beans.
At St. Vincent de Paul in Phoenix, they saw meal counts double within 3 months this summer. They now provide 8,000 meals to people in need every day.
“We really need people to be making donations at the register and to be bringing in their canned goods,” said Marisol Saldivar, spokesperson for St. Vincent de Paul.
Saldivar said one of their favorite times of the year is partnering with 12News on our Turkey Tuesday campaign, which is now underway.
“We really count on that drive,” she said. “Those turkeys, they help us get through the holidays and beyond.”
Saldivar said they typically continue to give out the donated turkeys into January and February.
“It’s just a good source of protein for those in need,” she said. “So we really, really hope that people will go to their local Bashas’ or Food City, and when you get that little screen that pops up on your pin pad, please say yes that you want to donate… that will really help us fill some food boxes.”
If you want to drop off food items at one of their locations in the Phoenix metro area or in northern Arizona, they’re also in need of some of the basics.
“Peanut butter, those canned tunas and canned chickens, I know it’s nothing glorious, but that really helps get families through some of these tough months, where maybe they’re trying to put a little bit of cash toward toys for their kids for the holidays,” said Saldivar.
The response these Valley food banks get from the families they help is well worth all the time and work volunteers spend collecting the donations and distributing the meals.
“The holiday distribution is my favorite… when they’re driving through, and they’re just saying thank you so much, thank you so much,” said Astor. “…some are crying, just so grateful.”
For more information about United Food Bank’s Holiday Food Distributions, click here. If you would like to volunteer your time, click here.
To find out more about St. Vincent de Paul’s upcoming food community drives, click here. You can also volunteer by clicking here.
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