As the holiday season draws near, American food banks are grappling with unprecedented challenges as rising inflation heightens existing pressures on their resources.

Food prices are throttling upward and donations are plummeting, leaving many food bank warehouses less equipped than previous years, according to Katie Fitzgerald, COO at Feeding America. The organization, which manages a network of over 200 food banks across the country, reports many of its locations are even busier than during the peak of the pandemic.

“The story of 2022 is inflation & the inflationary food prices,” Fitzgerald said, revealing that the price of turkey had escalated by 17% as of September. As a result, some food banks, such as the San Antonio Food Bank, are struggling to meet the demand for traditional holiday foods.

U.S. Department of Agriculture, a primary supplier for food banks, is also battling inflation, hampering its capacity to acquire food. At West Seattle Food Bank, the demand remains at peak pandemic levels. Despite continually rising food prices, they continue to distribute food in their parking garage and via home deliveries. Executive director Fran Yeatts confessed her uncertainty about how the operation could maintain its current service levels with an increasing demand-supply gap.

Over 40% of food banks in the Feeding America network are running at a budget deficit, a situation Fitzgerald described as unsustainable.

Adding to these woes, donations have dwindled after a surge in the first year of the pandemic. Feeding America’s data highlights a 7% reduction in donated food compared to the previous year. Fluctuations in labor markets and economic conditions have also affected donations from food producers who have downscaled operations, leaving food banks with few reliable supply sources. Despite these challenges, a recent 12.5% increase in food stamp benefits to combat inflation offers some respite to struggling families.

With an unforgiving pandemic, unrelenting inflation, and future uncertainties, food banks are witnessing firsthand the impact on families, many of whom are seeking help for the first time. The need to support these vital services is more crucial than ever.