TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) – A growing number of seniors in the Big Bend and Tallahassee are facing a harsh reality — not knowing where their next meal will come from.
At Elder Care Services of the Big Bend, the demand for help is rising, but resources aren’t keeping up with demand.
The organization’s food pantry, a lifeline for older adults living on fixed incomes, is now running dangerously low.
Shelves that once held essential items like canned meats, vegetables and ready-made meals are nearly empty, and the need is only growing.
Elder Care Services says from this time last year to now, they have seen a 56% increase in the number of food bags they’re giving out.
And without increased donations and community support, Elder Care Services COO Nicole Ballas said the situation could get worse, leaving some of the community’s most vulnerable without the nutrition they need to survive.
“Many seniors are on a fixed income; they only have a certain amount they can spend every month. So, as costs rise, they don’t have the extra funds to cover that difference there. If you only have so much a month, something has got to give, and I think for many right now, sadly, that’s food,” Ballas said.
Elder Care Services takes all non-perishable food items, canned proteins, canned fruit and canned vegetables, preferably in easy-open cans so seniors can access them.
For more information about donating, visit Elder Care Service’s website here.
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