For months, Catholic Charities of Southeast Texas has had to waitlist families hoping to join a food pantry program, as the nonprofit and other charities have struggled to meet soaring demand amid rising food prices and the end of federal pandemic relief aid.
The families who frequent the food bank, which is stocked like a grocery store with a wide range of nutritious food, are often already struggling to pay for housing, health care, and other expenses. So when they’re turned away from the pantry, they often seek out cheaper food or other food banks with fewer healthy options.
