LOUISVILLE, Ky. — While the latest Consumer Price Index shows the rate of inflation falling, prices of food increased by 0.5% last month.

What You Need To Know

  • While the latest Consumer Price Index shows the rate of inflation falling, prices of food increased by 0.5% last month

  • This affects organizations in Kentucky battling hunger at food banks like Dare to Care

  • Prices for fruits and vegetables, cereals, baked goods and dairy rose last month

  • Meat, poultry, fish and egg prices fell

That affects organizations in Kentucky battling hunger at food banks.

“There’s not enough food for them. They’re all running out, these agencies and whatnot,” said Jeff Steele, Transportation Manager at Dare to Care. “So, the last three months we’ve doubled up orders to help them help feed the neighbors.”

While loading a truck with carrots and grapes along with other produce, Steele explained how Dare to Care partners with 300 agencies. Those agencies then distribute food to food pantries, shelters, emergency kitchens, or faith-based organizations.

“Which is helping obviously because they’re running out weeks before their next drop-off,” Steele said. “So say they get the first Thursday of the month, by the third Thursday of the month are almost completely out, so by us doubling it up is helping them get through the whole month.”

Ramping up orders is a sign of need that they’re working to help fill fulfill, especially in the elderly population.

“Another thing is that seniors, they’ve got to pay LG&E bills still and most of them are living on a fixed income,” Steele said. “So everything, every little bit, definitely helps our seniors… If they can get this amount of food they get, that’s just one less grocery bill.”

He said it all boils down to prices this holiday season. In the latest Consumer Price Index report, prices for fruits and vegetables increased by 1.4%. Prices for cereals and baked goods rose 1.1%, and dairy prices increased by 1.0% last month.

“There’s a lot more need. It was up with Covid, but this year it’s just got a different feel. You can just have more people [who] are needing more with fuel, your utilities at home being up,” Steele said. “We can stretch the dollar so far that it’s so beneficial to Dare to Care and what we do.”

He explains $1 can feed three people and while prices for dairy, baked goods, cereals and produce increased, CPI reports prices for meats, poultry, fish and eggs fell by point 2% and beef prices fell by 0.8%.

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