RICHMOND, Va. — Amid high grocery prices, the approaching winter season — which leads to higher utility bills — and theft of SNAP benefits, the need for food is great throughout the Richmond area.
At Richmond’s largest food pantry, Belmont Community Resources, volunteers work hard to keep everyone fed this holiday season.
Just because it’s a long weekend for some, the need for food doesn’t stop here on Broad Rock Boulevard on Richmond’s Southside.
Volunteer Frances Branch calls handing out groceries and talking to the people who need it her therapy.
“My purpose God gave me is for helping people,” Branch said.
One of those people is Stephanie Evans.
“Programs like this, it’s really a blessing,” Evans said.
On a recent trip to the grocery store, Evans said she was stunned by the price of eggs.
“I went in the store to get a half a carton, and they were like two dollars and one cent, and I remember when you could get them less than a dollar,” Evans said.
According to Nerd Wallet, food prices are up 28 percent since before the pandemic.
“Sometimes after you finish paying your bills you be a little short and stuff like this helps a lot,” Evans said.
Helen Trevey, who heads up the food pantry, said those high grocery prices are particularly hard on folks living on a fixed income.
“Let me be honest and say over the last four years we have doubled the number of families that we are feeding, so the economy is stretching everybody all the time,” Evans said.
Combine that with a surge in reports of stolen SNAP benefits in the Richmond area, and Trevey said she expects the food pantry to be extremely busy every Friday through February.
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“Our budget is as stressed as many of the families that come to see us,” Trevey said.
In fact, Trevey said a record number of families visited Belmont the Friday before Thanksgiving, and while the Friday after Thanksgiving is always a little slower, the volunteers know next Friday will have them busier than ever.
Giving Tuesday is this upcoming Tuesday. The Belmont Food Pantry is hoping to raise $20,000 for its 20th anniversary.
If you would like to help them buy food like this for folks in our region, visit this link.
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