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SD Food Bank Sees Drop in Donations, Sharp Rise in Demand

The San Diego Food Bank is reporting a dramatic decrease in donations while demands for assistance skyrocket. KPBS reporter Katie Orr has details.

SD Food Bank Sees Drop in Donations, Sharp Rise in Demand

The San Diego Food Bank is reporting a dramatic decrease in donations while demands for assistance skyrocket. KPBS reporter Katie Orr has details.

The Food Bank saw a 49 percent drop in donations it received between December and February. Board Member Jennifer Perkins says some fall off is normal after the holidays. But she says the rate of the decrease is about twice what it normally would be.

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" While that would be hard enough, the increase in the opposite direction is more than that. So, it’s kind of this unfortunate inverse relationship. In that we’re getting half as much food, but we have twice as many people coming to us for help," Perkins says.

Perkins says the demand for services is spread throughout the county, including some communities that may surprise people. For instance, she says Carlsbad has seen a one thousand percent rise in demand since last year.

Katie Orr, KPBS News