By: Addison Parr, Reporter
OMAHA, Neb. – Nearly 13 percent of Omaha residents face food insecurity. I visited a local homeless shelter and food pantry to see how these organizations are feeding the community this season.
With prices rising and temperatures dropping, Omaha residents are experiencing food insecurity at record rates.
With 70 percent of low income families paying more than half of their monthly income on rent, individuals are finding it difficult to consistently provide nutritious meals for their households.
Candance Gregory, President and CEO of Open Door Mission, says that the rise in food costs has had a major impact in the Omaha area.
“With this inflation, people are really feeling it. We have a 50 percent increase in food insecurity issues in our community. and just alone here at the Open door Mission we have a 67 percent increase in food costs,” says Gregory.
Open Door Mission aims to combat food insecurity in the Omaha area by providing over 4,700 meals a day through their sack lunch programs, food pantry, and hot meals on their campus.
“Homelessness does not discriminate. So it crosses all the barriers of color, culture, sexual orientation, gender identity. I mean it is everywhere,” says Gregory.
45 percent of college students face food insecurity at least once in their collegiate careers.
Madeline St. Clair, manager of the Maverick Food Pantry, says that their organization has seen a drastic increase in students finally taking advantage of their services.
“Last Spring and last Summer we were seeing numbers of like 30 to 40 people each week. Now we are kinda in the hundreds, so we’ve definitely seen that growth,” says St. Clair.
St. Clair says that many individuals do not realize that they are experiencing food insecurity, or simply do not seek help.
For the upcoming holiday season, Open Door Mission plans to serve over 8,000 Thanksgiving to-go meals to seniors, veterans, individuals with disabilities, and families in need.
