Hunger doesn’t exist in isolation–it’s woven into a complex web of poverty, policy and systemic inequities. With prices remaining at extreme inflated levels, thousands of our neighbors are struggling and need help to make ends meet. In fact, nearly half of the population nationwide is just a $400 emergency away from needing help with food [Federal Reserve report on Economic Well-Being]. But behind the statistics are real people, real stories and a network of communities determined to create change.
In this series, Beyond the Table, we’ll explore the root causes of hunger across our service area, spotlight the advocates working to address those issues and share ways you can join in to help us seek long-term solutions for our communities. Together, we can go beyond the table and work toward a future where everyone has the resources they need to thrive.
In this edition, we’ll take a look at our home base of operations – Allegheny County.
A Growing Issue in Allegheny County
When Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank first opened our doors in 1980, the city of Pittsburgh was changing. The closure of the area’s steel mills meant economic upheaval. By 1983, unemployment soared to 18.2 percent and more than 200,000 of our neighbors were left without a reliable income to pay their bills or purchase other essentials, like food.
Today, food insecurity remains a significant challenge in Allegheny County with 1 in 9 individuals—including 1 in 6 kids—struggling to access enough nutritious food to lead full, active lives, according to Feeding America’s Map the Meal Gap study. This marks an increase from last year, when 1 in 11 individuals, including 1 in 8 kids, faced similar hardships.
In fact, the Food Bank saw the highest need on record this past year. “Families and seniors have had little financial relief,” says Lisa Scales, President and CEO of Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. “We saw inflation drive up prices, but now as prices stabilize, families are stuck paying high grocery bills with no end in sight.”
Poverty is ultimately the key driver of food insecurity around the country, with factors such as unemployment, stagnant wages and inflation affecting neighbors’ ability to access nutritious food. Other barriers such as transportation challenges, lack of affordable housing or sudden medical expenses can create a perfect storm to push neighbors’ resources to their limit—and provide opportunity for food insecurity to take hold.
In underserved areas, grocery stores offering fresh produce are often scarce, forcing residents to rely on convenience stores that typically stock processed and unhealthy options. This lack of access contributes to poor nutrition and health disparities, particularly among low-income families, seniors, and communities of color.
Making Community Connections
“I’m on disability. I get a check once a month, so I depend on food stamps and I don’t even get them anymore.” says Vincent, from Duquesne. He continues, “How am I supposed to survive? I get one check a month. By the time I pay my rent and my utilities and everything else I got to pay, my money’s gone.” For 30 years, Vincent, from Duquesne worked cleaning the high-rise windows of Pittsburgh skyscrapers. Following multiple back, knee and hip surgeries, he now lives on a fixed income.
“This Food Bank, it’s a huge difference.” Vincent says, “It’s a huge help. It really is.”
Derrick, a navy veteran, echoes this sentiment. “I come out here and you get your vegetables and things like that there. They helped me a lot whenever it’s necessary.” He says, “Sometimes in the middle of the month and towards the end of the month, definitely it’s a struggle and the Food Bank helps me get through it.”
When burdens exceeded their incomes, both gentlemen decided to visit The Market, the Food Bank’s on-site pantry in partnership with Giant Eagle, to help make ends meet. Launched in 2022 at our warehouse location in Duquesne, The Market offers a grocery-style experience in which individuals and families can visit up to twice a month to receive fresh fruits and vegetables, meat, dairy products, shelf stable items and even non-food items like toilet paper, laundry detergent and diapers for families with infants.
The Market is powered by our dedicated volunteers and a small (but mighty!) team of staff. The Market’s Onsite Pantry Coordinator, Darnell, says “it’s very exciting once you see that guest start off with a sad face and end up with a smile at the end of shopping through The Market. It’s amazing.”
In Allegheny County, we work with nearly 560 partners including food pantries, hot meal programs and child nutrition partners to distribute food to neighbors who are food insecure. Last year, we awarded nearly $251,000 in impact grants to fund needs such as equipment, food, training and staff for our partners in the county to support them. The grants can also be used to support operations and other capacity-building resources to ensure that partners have the means to safely store and distribute fresh, nutritious food.
We also host drive-up and walk-in distributions every month in nine different locations across the county to supplement the food families receive through our network partners.
All in all, the Food Bank distributed 27 million pounds of food, including 8.4 million pounds of fresh produce, and submitted 1,891 SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as Food Stamps) applications in Allegheny County last year to connect neighbors to both the food and resources they need.
How You Can Help
Lisa Scales, the Food Bank’s President and CEO, emphasizes the importance of the Food Bank’s vast network in achieving its goals and supporting neighbors. “It is encouraging to see our network step up to provide a record amount of food to ensure our neighbors have the nourishment they need to thrive, but this…is a sign that our work is far from over.”
You can get involved with the Food Bank in three simple ways:
- Advocating for anti-hunger policies with your local and state officials that help neighbors facing food insecurity. Start by signing up for our Advocacy Newsletter to receive timely alerts on current actions and ways to alleviate food insecurity.
Sign up for our Advocacy Newsletter - Volunteering in The Market, Volunteer Engagement Center, or one of our distributions to get a variety of needed foods directly in neighbors’ hands.
- Donating to support programs and operations that make our mission possible. Every $1 donated to the Food Bank can help provide up to 3 meals to neighbors in need. Unlike going to the grocery store, we work directly with manufacturers, retailers, local farmers and government agencies to source foods in mass quantities (some of which would have otherwise gone to waste) for distribution.
Are you in need or want to give back to an organization in Allegheny county? Visit our Food Finder Tool and type in “Allegheny county” when prompted to enter an address or ZIP Code. The Food Bank partners with nearly 560 programs in Allegheny County, including adult day centers, community food pantries, shelters, university and school campus pantries, hospitals and more.
Thank you for all you do! I definitely plan to get involved this year. I make money driving for HopSkipDrive and end up meeting a lot of kids that benefit from your services. It really makes me want to do more to help.
Thank you for all your do to support kids in our community! Please feel free to contact us at 412.460.3663 x655 with any questions. We hope to see you soon!