Local Non-Profits See High Demand As Inflation Rises
TAMPA, Fla. (CW44 News At 10) - As inflation rises, so does the number of people struggling to pay bills...and it's now having an impact on local non-profits.
"It puts much more pressure on our work. Do we have enough food, do we have enough volunteers, do we have enough resources?" said Thomas Mantz, CEO of Feeding Tampa Bay.
The last few months haven't been easy for Thomas Mantz and his non-profit, Feeding Tampa Bay.
"Need is outpacing capability, right. There's more demand than there are resources," said Mantz.
He says inflation is sending families all over the Tampa Bay Area to Feeding Tampa Bay locations to get warm meals.
"Coming off of a two-three year pandemic, we've seen need continue, we thought it was going to go down post-pandemic, but we've seen need continue to rise," said Mantz.
Mantz says the rent increases in the Tampa Bay Area are hurting families the most.
"That's usually about 60% of their budgets, so when costs go through the roof, it really devastates families," said Mantz.
Ray Elliott is one of the people who benefits from nonprofits like Feeding Tampa Bay.
"I've been coming here for five years now and I really love the food," said Elliott.
He says he's noticed an increase in the number of people showing up at Feeding Tampa Bay's kitchen locations.
"Because of the price of food going up, some, they might want to feed their children before they feed themselves," said Elliott.
Feeding Tampa Bay isn't the only nonprofit seeing the impact from inflation.
"Our front line teams report that the need is as bad as it's ever been right now," said Justine Burke with Metropolitan Ministries.
Justine Burke, with Metropolitan Ministries, which also makes meals for those in need, says now is the time to donate to nonprofits.
"We are low on food in our warehouse following two years of COVID-19 relief, following a very demanding holiday season that we just had," said Burke.
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