Facing a Food Crisis: How You Can Help

Every day, our team works tirelessly to ensure that the families we serve have enough to eat. But behind the scenes, we face immense challenges—the stress, struggles, and anxiety of ensuring dignified access to good food, along with opportunities for our community to grow, cook, share, and advocate for it.

In 2024, we served over 2,025 individuals—a staggering 29% increase from the previous year. This reflects both the growing need in our community and our deep commitment to meeting it. But the obstacles we face are mounting:

• Inflation: Costs are skyrocketing. As of January 2025, for example, a case of eggs from our distributor now costs $118—$7.87 per dozen—making it harder than ever to stretch our resources.
• Funding Shortfalls: Our year-end fundraising efforts fell short by $32,125, leaving us with a significant gap as we enter 2025.
• Food Supply Cuts: Just today, January 28th, we received devastating news: one of our largest food sources, which provides half of our meat, dairy, and produce, will cut their contributions by over 50%. Another partner, who generously provided over 2,000 pounds of meat last year, is reducing our allotment by 75%.
• Limited Options: When turning to Feeding America, the items available to us are limited to bottled water, tangerines, rice, spray cheese, and spinach dip—far from enough to feed a family.
• Policy Confusion: The President's Office of Management and Budget has recently announced a freeze on federal financial assistance to states, families, and communities. While the full implications of this decision are still unfolding, we are deeply concerned about the potential impact on nearly 7,600 individuals in our county who depend on federal programs to meet their basic needs.
  
  As of now, we have been informed by partner agencies across the state that SNAP benefits will not be affected. However, we are closely monitoring potential changes to other critical federal programs, including:
  • TEFAP (The Emergency Food Assistance Program)
  • CSFP (Commodity Supplemental Food Program or "senior stock boxes")

These programs play a vital role in supporting food security for families, seniors, and other vulnerable members of our community.

We are doing everything in our power to find solutions, but the reality is heartbreaking: WE CANNOT MEET THE GROWING NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY WITHOUT YOUR URGENT HELP!

Here’s how you can make an immediate difference in our "Rise Against Hunger" campaign:

1. Donate: Every dollar helps us purchase high-quality, nutritious food for families in need. [Insert donation link or instructions]
2. Share Our Mission: Share this email, tell a friend, or post on social media to spread awareness about our work.
3. Advocate for Food Security: Use your voice to support local and national policies that fund and strengthen food access programs.

We understand that this situation creates uncertainty for many, and we are committed to keeping you informed as more details become available. If you or someone you know is concerned about accessing food or other essential resources, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Thank you for standing with us during this critical time as we work to navigate these challenges together.

Your support means everything to us—and to the families and individuals who rely on us every day. Together, we can rise above these challenges and ensure that no one in our community goes hungry.

With gratitude,

Amber L. Daugs
Chief Executive Officer
Grow It Forward Inc.