SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — Gas prices are down and inflation is getting back to normal, but the number of people struggling to put food on the table continues to rise.
Thanksgiving is right around the corner, which means Sioux Falls nonprofits are looking to lend a helping hand.
“With the holiday season, we’re seeing more people in need. We’re seeing people need more clothing, more help with food and things like that,” Union Gospel Mission CEO Eric Weber said.
Weber says the Union Gospel Mission is now serving 600-700 meals a day. The nonprofit is also seeing a 40% increase in people needing shelter compared to this time last year.
“We’re full. We have no more room. We are putting people on cots for emergency shelter and things like that,” Weber said.
In October, Feeding South Dakota served more than 13,500 families. That’s a 20% increase over the same time period last year.
“The demand is so difficult for a lot of non-profits, but especially for Feeding South Dakota as our programs continue to increase,” Feeding South Dakota chief development officer Megan Kjose said.
The numbers have not gone down for The Banquet either.
“Our numbers have remained consistent throughout this year. Actually, this holiday season, this Thanksgiving season, we’re actually taking a lot more calls with people asking, ‘When are you serving your holiday meal?’ So, that leads me to believe that it could be new people that are coming that haven’t normally eaten with The Banquet but wants to be part of a Thanksgiving meal,” The Banquet executive director Tamera Jerke-Liesinger said.
The current cost of food is one of the reasons why people are struggling.
“I think inflation is still an issue for people. When you go to the grocery store, things are still pretty expensive, and for a lot of families, putting on that Thanksgiving meal is just an expense that they cannot afford,” Jerke-Liesinger said.
“People are struggling with inflation. Prices are up, so giving is down a little bit, but we can still kind of gauge that of how we’re going to do. We’re still going to help people no matter what,” Weber said.
Feeding South Dakota has also seen a decrease in donations, but The Banquet says holiday season fundraising is off to a strong start. If you’d like to help out, check out these links: Feeding South Dakota, The Banquet, Union Gospel Mission.
