One in four families hungry

SPANISH FORT, Ala. (WALA) - It's a problem throughout the nation and it's hitting Southwest Alabama hard; it's affecting our churches, our neighbors, our friends and our children.

Hunger is also impacting one in four families in Baldwin County.

Executive director of Prodisee Pantry , Deann Servos, says one in four families in Baldwin County are hungry. That means those families are not sure where their next meal is coming from.

She said in Southwest Alabama, about 3-out-of-10 children aged 18 and under don't know where or when they're going to get another meal. That's higher than the state or national average.

So, for some, going to the grocery store is just another weekly or monthly task but for others, it's a grave reminder of a tough situation:

"All the prices on food have really escalated so just planning out the meals Monday through Friday, Saturday and Sunday, you just have to plan your meals accordingly,” said a Baldwin County mother who wishes to remain anonymous.

She’s been looking for a job for more than two-and-a-half years and said it's a challenge providing healthy food for her kids. She said her children are noticing others at school that skipped breakfast or didn't bring a snack.

She said hunger is invisible in our community, and Servos agrees.

“There’s a new face of hunger, the middle-class and the senior citizens, they aren't the ones who used to come in for groceries, now we're seeing our neighbors,” Servos said.

She said families who used to donate are now recipients. To help combat hunger, the pantry assists people from every lifestyle, whether it’s single parents, families in transition, homeless, retirees and unemployed and under-employed households.

“The growth in families being food insecure in the past 5 years here in Baldwin county has escalated in a huge rate. We used to serve 25 families a week now its 250-300 a week to get some staple groceries,” said Servos.

“It’s everybody. It’s not only Baldwin county, whether you're young, old, college kid, everybody. It's difficult, it’s not easy you just have to do what you have to do,” said the Baldwin County mother.

Click here for information on how you can help combat hunger or if you're in need.