TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Today was the last day the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona was open this year. The food bank will reopen on January 3rd.
Volunteers are moving quickly to get the last items of the year out to families.
Leslie Cohen volunteers for the food bank. “Our community has a lot of needs and one of them is food insecurity, and what little we can do to help with that—I want to be a part of,” she said.
Like many volunteers, Cohen said she genuinely enjoys giving her time to the food bank.
“It’s nice for everyone that works so hard at the food bank, the employees particularly, but volunteers too, to get a little time off over the holidays and hopefully we’ll all be back early January refreshed and ready to go,” she said.
Newly appointed CEO Malea Chavez said it’s been a very productive year. “We just got our annual numbers from our end of the year report. We have moved about 41 million pounds of food this year, which is an incredible amount.”
Chavez said that number is down from last year, but the hope is to continue to provide for the increasing need for free grocery items in 2023.
“We’ve experienced about a 14% increase in the cost of food, and about a 20% increase in transportation cost,” said Chavez. “In the last four months we’ve seen about a 20% increase in the need. And of course during the holidays, the need just goes up.”
There are several otherlocations open where food will be available until the food bank reopens.
RELATED: Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona receives $25,000 donation
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Reyna Preciado is a reporter for KGUN 9, she joined the KGUN 9 team in July of 2022 after graduating Arizona State University. Share your story ideas with Reyna by emailing reyna.preciado@kgun9.com or by connecting on Instagram, or Twitter.
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