Central California Food Bank seeing an increased need

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- With people paying high electric bills and the cost of food going up, Central California Food Bank is seeing an increased need.

More and more people are turning to the food bank for help.

Every first Monday of the month, people line up at United Christian Church in central Fresno to get fresh produce.

It ranges from bell peppers, apples, to melons. It's in partnership with the Central California Food Bank.

"It makes it simple," said Jim Horg, the acting Reverend with United Christian Church. "It makes it a lot easier when they have a place they know they can keep coming to all the time. We try to keep this all on a regular steady basis."

United Christian Church is seeing an increase in people who need food. They consider themselves the neighborhood church, where people can lean on them for support.

No one is judged for their hardships.

Instead, everyone is welcomed with open arms and a smile.

"We feel this is really important," said Horg. "That we get to spread out to everybody and let them know that it's here."

Nicholas Munoz came to United Christian Church to volunteer and is giving back to the community that helped him.

He first came to the church to get food for his house but felt a deeper calling.

"Driving by, I saw there was a line of people and I parked the car," said Munoz. "God told me no. He said get out and help too."

Munoz wanted to pay that kindness forward.

Since coming out of the pandemic, Central California Food Bank says food insecurity has gone up. Natalie Caples, co-CEO of the organization, explained why.

"Individuals are still taking the finite amount of dollars that they get in their paycheck and they are having to purchase basic needs," said Caples. "Gas, food and other house items are at a significantly elevated cost than they were previously."

Central California Food Bank provides over 50 million pounds of food each year to people in the Central Valley.

The loss of the emergency pandemic CAL FRESH allotments last year also impacted families.

"That's where we really kind of saw a significant increase to the number of individuals and the frequency in which those individuals were accessing our programs and services," said Caples.

With food insecurity affecting so many people in Central California, Caples said the biggest impact that people can make is to donate.

"For every $1 that people donate, Central California Food Bank can turn that roughly into four meals," said Caples.

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