The U.S. is battling the highest food inflation in 17 years and it could get worse.

By Ashley Prchal NCC News

With America's economy in a tailspin, rising food prices are hitting low income families the hardest. In Central New York, food pantries are struggling to keep up with a new trend.

Claire Pietra is a Pastor at Valley Worship Center in Syracuse, New York. She runs the weekly food pantry.

"You're seeing more young people. More single mothers. More children coming to shop for them and their families," says Pastor Claire.

One of those is Deborah Wrightson, a single mom of 8 year old son Anthony. Deborah is on social security and workman's comp. She can't work because she hurt her back. So she must stretch $79 dollars a month in food stamps to buy groceries.

"I'm on a limited budget so you have to count every penny. And by the end of the month, the last week is very hard," says Wrightson.

Food stamps help, but a lot of families don't qualify. When it opened nearly 30 years ago, the Food Bank of Central New York was supposed to be a temporary fix for hunger. Now more people are using food pantries as supplemental foods rather than emergency food because more people are in crisis all the time.



Stephanie Crowley is Development Associate for Food Bank of CNY. She says, "We even have some people that are working two and three jobs and they are still not able to make ends meet and get enough nutritious food for their families."

The Department of Agriculture says food prices rose 4 percent last year and it's predicted to hit 4 and a half percent this year.

Organizations all over Onondaga County are feeling the pinch. Meals on Wheels is dealing with a 16 percent increase in operation costs.



Mason Kaufman is Executive Director of Meals on Wheels. He says, "It's a triple wami for us. We're seeing food prices go up, we're seeing gas prices o up and the economy is uncertain."

If the economy doesn't improve, volunteers say there'll be more families relying on food banks. For now, Deborah Wrightson is just thankful for a helping hand...

"I'm taking it one day at a time. Cause you have to. If I don't I'll go crazy," says Wrightson.

Deborah is just one of may families struggling to survive through these tough times. But the key to making it out alive, program directors say, is to put your pride aside and ask for help.