Local food banks struggle to keep up with increasing demand during pandemic

LINCOLN - Local food banks are struggling to keep up with the increasing demand of food insecure Nebraskans during the COVID-19 pandemic.

At governor Pete Ricketts' daily press conference on Monday, Lincoln Food Bank Executive Director Scott Young said that the problem is being seen statewide in both urban and rural communities.

"One of big challenges right now, in food insecurity in the state of Nebraska, is that resources are going down while the need is going up. The grocery stores where we pick up so much product, they are moving everything they have and then some. The food pipelines are starting to get a little awkward."

Young added that nationally there has been about a 45-percent increase in those who are food insecure. That number would translate to roughly 100,000 more Nebraskans needing food assistance over the next six months.

If you would like to donate you can do so by visiting LincolnFoodBank.org or FoodBankHeartland.org.