FAIRBORN — A mass food drive at the Nutter Center in Greene County today supported hundreds of families during a time of rising inflation.

News Center 7′s Kayla McDermott talked to people at the food drive about its impact on families during a financially straining time.

“We have pumpkins, potatoes, and mixed veggies. It will help out for Thanksgiving,” Penney Storms from Fairborn said.

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People were amazed with the amount of food being offered. Northridge resident Donald Bailey told McDermott he had never seen something like this.

“I’m blown away about Ohio’s strength in supplying food to the people because we have nothing like this in San Diego. Nothing. Let’s hear it up for the guys that work here,” Bailey said.

Those who were working at the food drive were overjoyed when providing food they knew people would need heading into winter.

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“We have two wars going on across the world. 2024 will be an election year and we know that the Farmers Almanac is also telling us is going to be a cold winter,” Chief Development Officer of The Foodbank, Lee Lauren Truesdale said.

On top of that, Truesdale told McDermott that people have been visiting food pantries more frequently.

“We’re seeing individuals who need support longer than ever before. So while the unduplicated numbers of individuals is down, people are coming to see us 5, 6 times a year. They’re coming more often than they’ve ever came to see us before,” Truesdale said.

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Inflation has been a major contributor to the increase in visits.

Workers anticipate feeding 500 families with the boxes and piles of food still at the drive, but they have produce here to help 2,000 people.

This is one of the last major food drives for the year.

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