OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — If you are going through your pantry and find something past it's sell-by, or use-by date don't throw it away. Reporter Molly Hudson went to Timberlake Outreach Center where the Open Door Mission team is working to address hunger and food waste.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
The need rising as the price of food increases.
Candace Gregory with the Open Door Mission says, inflation and shrinkflation are impacting people in ways that are obvious and ways that aren't.
She says her organization has seen a 30% increase in food cost, combine that with more people struggling to make ends meet and everyone is feeling stretched thin.
"At the same time, we are seeing an increase in services of about 10% and our donations are down by 7% percent so that's because people again don't have as much discretionary income to give," Gregory said.
In addition to normal food donations Open Door Mission will now accept and distribute food that is passed its sell-by or use-by date.
Gregory says they make people aware of the dates as they come through and allow them to choose the food they decide to take home.
Molly: "When you see the number of families and individuals coming in to get goods, does that concern you in how it is impacting our community?"
Gregory: "In the last 29 years, I have not seen an increase like this fall that we have seen, so I am super concerned about Christmas"
And because of the number of people they serve, over 4,700 meals on any given day, he food gets used quickly.
Gregory says because of the price, boxed cereal is a big need year round.
If you need assistance, visit theOpen Door Mission website.
