CLEVELAND — News 5 has been telling you about the need for food and the records The Greater Cleveland Food Bank has been setting to help feed families.
In 2022, the food bank fed 385,000 people, and now it's raising money so the work can continue.
But with inflation hitting families hard, News 5 checked to see how those fundraising efforts are shaping up.
For many, grocery shopping has become a dreaded chore requiring lots of thought, creativity, and wallet stretching.
"You really have to pick and choose what you want," grocery shopper Terrence Hill said.
"Used to be a brand name; I'm just going to go with whatever's on sale," grocery shopper Kathy Hart said.
It's all thanks to inflation kicking in March of 2021, and now our dollars are not going nearly as far as they used to.
"So many people's benefits have ended. And so many people are still struggling," said Karen Pozna with the Greater Cleveland Food Bank. "Looking at March 2023, we served 10% more people than the same time the year prior.
Last month was one of the busiest months for the food bank on record. The food bank is in its Harvest for Hunger campaign, and its goal is to raise $ 9.75 million across 21 counties in Northeast Ohio.
One way money is being raised is by asking shoppers to donate at check-out at nearly 100 grocery stores across the area.
But with food, gas, and utilities all on the rise, are people feeling very charitable?
"Generally what we see is when we have sort of a slowdown in the economy, we see reasonable levels of charitable giving, but they do tend to drop off as the economy slows down," said Jonathan Ernest, Case Western Reserve University assistant professor of economics, Weatherhead School of Management.
News 5 found that despite millions losing their jobs and the start of the covid pandemic in 2020, charitable giving reached an all-time high, with more than $ 471 billion donated here in the U.S.
"People really felt sort of that it was a way to continue helping and being a part of the solution. It seems like a lot of people felt a lot more value in giving at that time," Ernest said.
According to the professor, charitable giving is one of those things that can sometimes buck the economic trend because it's a matter of heart and hope.
"Most people are either giving either for the warm glow feeling or at least appearing to be helping people," Earnest said.
Hart told News 5 she's one of those folks still giving particularly to the food bank, although things are tighter for her wallet.
"Honestly, being human, I guess you know, just wanting everyone to be as healthy as possible. As happy as possible," Hart said.
The food bank said donations are now leveling off after record years during the pandemic. It's about halfway to its goal for this campaign, and you can continue to give at your local Lucky's, Giant Eagle, or Dave's through the end of May.
And coming up this weekend, tickets are still on sale for Market at the Food Bank. CLICK HERE for more information or tickets.
