Food banks, charitable agencies struggle with high gasoline costs

Published: 2006-06-13

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Continuing high gas prices have been eating away at the transportation budgets of Catholic and other charitable agencies around the country. Delivery fees are going up for transporting goods from food banks to Catholic Charities agencies, and that's a big concern these days for those running food and other programs for those in need, according to representatives of Catholic agencies and other organizations. They spoke with Catholic News Service in telephone and e-mail interviews. "It has impacted us," said Courtney Bryant, a social worker at St. Peter Ministries, the community outreach division of Catholic Charities of Memphis, Tenn. "In fact we no longer order our food to be delivered. The delivery fees are too expensive. It is cheaper for our staff to go pick up our food and pay our own gas. However, we lose in the way of staff time and staff utilization." In urban areas, many of the poor and working poor use public transportation to get to their local pantry. In some cities, recent gas price increases have resulted in higher prices for bus fare.

Copyright (c) 2006 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .