Donations crucial as more depend on SOS Food Pantry in Key West

MIAMI – More people in Key West are increasingly relying on the SOS Food Pantry due to rising food prices and decreased donations, prompting organizations like Feeding South Florida to find new ways to maintain food supply levels amidst growing demand.
Claudine Weinmand shops at the pantry. She never needed help with food until now. Even though she has a job, she still needs help feeding her family.
“It’s more expensive than anywhere else, way more expensive than any place I’ve ever lived,” she said.
Already this year, compared to last, more than 1,700 additional people have signed up with S0S. 
“In Key Largo on Monday, we usually had about 110. Now, we’re seeing about 150 every Monday. So, the need is definitely increasing,” SOS Executive Director Morgan Tracey said, but she explained that as the need increases, the supply of donated food is decreasing.
“There’s usually meat,” Claudine explains, “we get pork chops, short ribs, a freezer item. There was nothing. No meats,” she said, pointing to the freezer. 
Tracey said they’d been out of meat the past couple of weeks. 
“We used to be able to provide people with a full bag of groceries once a week; we just don’t have enough food to do that anymore,” said SOS CEO Tom Callahan. He says higher food prices are pushing more people into the pantry. 
“At the same time, the amount of donations we’ve been receiving from our traditional sources is drying up,’ he said. 
Paco Velez is CEO of Feeding South Florida, the organization that helps supply food pantries like SOS. 
“These distribution centers and manufacturers are becoming more efficient, which is great for business. But for us, we’re having to go out and figure out how to bring in food,” Velez said.
He said they are figuring out new ways to keep the shelves stocked. 
“As an organization is, we’re starting to go out and buy some of our own food so we can make sure that we have food here available for our partners as well as for families who come into our pantry,” he said. 
He said the public can get involved by donating money, food, or volunteering time. September is Hunger Action Month.
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