SAN DIEGO — Feeding San Diego is working to expand its food pantry program and keep up with a growing waitlist.
At one point this year, the organization had a waitlist of 30 schools hoping to get food pantries. They're doing their best to keep up with the demand.
Feeding San Diego has seen food insecurity grow since COVID. They're using food pantries on campus to help families get what they need.
"It helps reduce stigma, it's on campus. People don't have to go out of their way to get food, your peers might be receiving food too," said Carissa Casares, senior communications manager at Feeding San Diego.
Hancock Elementary in Tierrasanta was on the waitlist for about a year and a half. CBS 8 was there when the food pantry opened this month. Families got to pick up food at the end of the school day to bring home. We're told more than 150 families are using the foot pantry.
Feeding San Diego is running more than 40 school food pantries and working to open more. They want to make sure no child goes hungry.
"There's so many proven connections that if a child is experiencing food insecurity that their development will be affected, they won't be able to focus in school and learn," Casares said.
She says it costs about $30,000 per school per year to have a food pantry and says food costs have risen about thirty percent over the past few years. Right now they're looking for more funding to open more pantries and keep up with the waitlist.