Food Pantries Across Tri-State Area Seeing Greater Need Due To Pandemic, Rising Cost Of Living

PATERSON, N.J. (CBSNewYork) — The squeeze is tight for a lot of confronted with rising prices of what looks as if nearly the whole lot.

CBS2’s Jenna DeAngelis visited organizations which can be seeing it and households who’re dealing with it firsthand from New York to New Jersey.

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“These months, for me, has been actually robust,” Erika Molina stated.

Molina is a bus driver, meals supply employee and a mom, making an attempt to make ends meet.

“While you store round for fuel, for groceries, you pay greater than what you’re taking,” she stated.

Feeling the total influence of inflation, she turned to the group pantry on the Suffolk YJCC simply to place meals on the desk.

“Just about basic items that we want,” Molina stated.

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“Households are struggling as a result of sadly as the price of issues went up, their paychecks aren’t going up,” stated Paule Pachter, CEO of Lengthy Island Cares, which supplies emergency meals help by a community of practically 400 community-based organizations.

Its Huntington pantry is certainly one of six satellite tv for pc areas, every seeing a higher want for the reason that pandemic hit.

“These are Lengthy Islanders that by no means went to a meals financial institution of their life,” Pachter stated.

And it’s not simply households — many seniors are struggling.

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“My social safety profit just isn’t sufficient to outlive,” Queens resident Vladimir Epshteyn stated.

“The worth of fuel has skyrocketed and groceries typically, the cabinets are empty,” Queens resident Angela Hirsch stated. “It’s a matter of with the ability to put meals on the desk.”

Epshteyn and Hirsch are amongst these turning to Commonpoint Queens Meals Pantry, which has a number of areas and a digital platform to make it simpler to entry necessities.

“We even have one other pantry that does deliveries,” stated Roberto Burbano, coordinator for the meals pantry.

“These angels​ right here that present this service, they dedicate themselves to this group,” Queens resident Rami Duran stated.

As does Paterson’s “angel,” Carlos Roldan, long-time director of Catholic Charities’ Father English Meals Pantry, the place individuals climate any storm to get groceries.

That pantry and its two others in Jersey, collectively feed 20,000 individuals a month — a quantity Roldan worries received’t simply come down with the price of dwelling up.

“Persons are nonetheless making $12 an hour, and in the event that they need to pay $1,800 for lease, $2,000 for lease, irrespective of how a lot they work … they are going to by no means make it to pay for electrical energy, to pay lease, meals,” he stated.

These CBS2 spoke to have been grateful for these filling their stomachs and hearts.

“It’s simpler, it’s bearable and also you maintain out for the day when there’s hope,” Duran stated.

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Organizers of meals pantries say it’s the generosity of individuals from volunteers to donors that make all of the distinction, particularly in instances like these.