photo by: Ashley Golledge

Just Food, 1000 E. 11th St., is pictured on Wednesday, March 3, 2021.

Early last week, Just Food set a record for patrons served in one day — for the third time this year.

On Aug. 16, the food bank served 478 households — or 1,186 individuals — in a single day. Ryan Bowersox, Just Food’s outreach director, told the Journal-World Friday that up until just prior to the coronavirus pandemic, one record-breaking day, let alone three, was rare.

“I remember we broke the record right when I first started at Just Food (in August of 2019), and it hadn’t been broken in years,” Bowersox said. “It was a big deal.”

The issue isn’t unique to Lawrence. Just Food is part of the Feeding America network of food banks, and Bowersox said 80% of network food banks across the country have been reporting a similar increased or sustained demand for food assistance during the past few months.

Locally, Just Food’s retention rate for patrons who use its services more than three times per year has spiked by 40% since the beginning of the pandemic. Bowersox said that means many patrons may now be visiting Just Food as part of a weekly routine, rather than just because of a more temporary need like an unexpected expense or job loss.

Bowersox said there’s no simple answer as to why the need for food assistance has grown so much in the past few years, in large part because there’s no one reason why patrons might be struggling with food insecurity in the first place.

But there are many factors that are likely contributors: the rising cost of food, gas and housing, for a start.

“Currently we’re trying to prepare for the holidays,” Bowersox said. “Traditionally, we’ve always been able to feed every person that signs up for both Thanksgiving and a winter holiday; we’re able to provide them with a turkey, as well as sides, things like that. We ran the numbers to just get the turkeys, and it’s $43,000 to purchase those turkeys at the wholesale price that we are able to get.”

That’s a result of an outbreak of avian influenza, which, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as of Aug. 19 has been detected in more than 40 million wild aquatic birds, commercial poultry, and backyard or hobbyist flocks since January.

It’s a common misconception that Just Food’s supply is stocked solely by donations, Bowersox said. The food bank actually has a budget for purchasing a consistent supply of certain perishable foods like poultry, which is why its current cost is an issue. Another food that falls in this category is produce, which Bowersox said is donated far less frequently when the growing season ends.

“If we only did donations, we’d only have applesauce and canned goods on our shelves,” Bowersox said. “It’s very rare that we get perishables like milk and eggs, that type of donation.”

Government assistance that was made available earlier on in the pandemic is expiring, another reason that need is increasing. The child tax credit payments expanded under President Joe Biden as part of the American Rescue Plan Act expired at the end of 2021, for one. Bowersox said the credits not only helped families with a greater financial need but also led to more donations to the agency from more affluent families who didn’t need the extra cash.

The universal free school lunch program introduced in 2020 also expired this summer. When Lawrence students returned for their first day of school last week, it was with the system prior to the pandemic in place — schools take applications and use family income to determine whether kids qualify for free, reduced-price or paid meals.

On top of larger-scale challenges like those, not to mention the looming specter of climate change and its effect on food production, Bowersox said challenges on an individual level only compound the issue. People without a car, for example, have to tackle “time poverty” — they might not be able to take advantage of sales happening at grocery stores across town from each other, for example, because they’re forced to rely on lengthier bus rides for transportation.

Just Food may be able to make more of a dent in terms of another challenge, food waste, thanks to a new production space for ready-to-eat meals set to be up and running in downtown Lawrence by the end of the month. It’ll be the latest step in a program that, since March, has helped save thousands of pounds of nearly expired food while simultaneously feeding more patrons.

“Something I’m really proud of with the production space is we’re going to be giving time back to families to be able to spend together,” Bowersox added. “I think that’s amazing, and I think introducing folks to new foods that they may not have tried before is something incredible.”

There are a number of ways community members can help make an impact. For one, Bowersox said any food or monetary donations go a long way. She also encouraged volunteering, whether it be simply one’s time or a skill that could benefit the food bank’s operations or one of its programs. The food bank also encourages workplace groups to volunteer together. Even small actions like sharing Just Food’s social media posts can help, she said.

The issue of food insecurity extends beyond Just Food, Bowersox noted, so she also recommends supporting other local agencies like the Sunrise Project in an effort to further bridge the gaps.

Bowersox said she and other leaders with Just Food understand “the power food has,” both in positive ways and in negative ways. The challenges of the time mean that many of the positives, like how cooking a meal can bring a family together, are dampened by the stress of where the next meal will come from.

“I don’t want food to be a stressful topic for anyone, and it is — I can hear it every day in the pantry,” Bowersox said.

Those interested in learning more about volunteering or donating can email Bowersox at outreach@justfoodks.org.