Tough Times For Local Food Banks

In this economy, it won't surprise you to learn that area food banks are in big trouble, with more clients in need and less food to distribute.

Fox 29's Bruce Gordon went to South Jersey tonight, says food pantries are banding together to try and find answers to the growing problem of hunger

Busines is down at the thrift store Dennis Chang runs for the St. Vincent DePaul Society in Berlin, which impacts his other job: running the society's food pantry.

The shelves are nearly empty and the lines are getting longer.

"Donors who used to donate food to us are now coming in as clients," he says.

For the first time ever, Chang is turning some folks away as others are limited to one visit per month.

We met Laverne Watkins picking up groceries for her family

"And the products and food that I get here, I have to use daily for myself and my grandkids," she says.

Pre-packed grocery bags uses to be chock full and some folks complained they were too heavy to carry!

Chang and more than two hundred other local pantries buy much of their food at the Food Bank Of South Jersey. But here too, the cupboard is nearly bare.

Private donations, which make up more than half the stock, are way down.

Most of that extra government food is canned corn.

Food bank officials summoned pantry volunteers together to try and come up with new fundraising ideas, and to announce that the price charged by the food bank is about to rise by more than 12 percent.

Dennis Chang has never seen things this bad. But like most folks who volunteer their time to help others, he just keeps showing up for

"I just have faith that things will work out," he says.

To donate, go to foodbanksj.org .