Food Bank of Delaware, Community Partners Gather at Legislative Hall to Highlight Impact of Rising Costs
May 20, 2026
The Food Bank of Delaware joined community partners, food pantries and organizations from across the state at Legislative Hall on Tuesday to shine a light on the growing impact of rising costs on Delaware families and the organizations working to support them.
“The same rising costs affecting Delaware households are also impacting organizations like ours,” said Food Bank of Delaware President and CEO Cathy Kanefsky. “Fuel prices, freight costs and higher food prices continue to strain our ability to meet the increasing demand for assistance. Every truckload costs more. Every delivery costs more. Every meal costs more.”
Representatives from partner agencies shared firsthand accounts of the challenges facing the communities they serve, including families who are working but still struggling to afford basic necessities.
“Hunger is not a faraway issue,” said Matthew Morrison, Executive Director of the Regional Dream Center. “It lives here, in our neighborhoods, behind the doors of apartments, row homes, and trailers, in the quiet worry of parents who smile at their children while wondering how they will stretch one more gallon of milk, one more loaf of bread, one more meal.”
The event also focused on the growing number of ALICE households — Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed — families who earn above the federal poverty level but still struggle to afford basic living expenses. Speakers noted that many working families are finding it increasingly difficult to keep pace with inflation and rising costs, leading more Delawareans to seek food assistance for the first time.
In addition to rising operational expenses, organizations discussed concerns surrounding reductions in SNAP benefits and uncertainty surrounding federal nutrition programs, which can place additional pressure on charitable food networks.
“Our message today is simple,” Kanefsky said. “No one organization can solve hunger alone. It takes continued investment, strong partnerships and a shared commitment to ensuring Delaware families have the support they need not just to survive, but to thrive.”
