Calls to the area’s health and human services hotline asking for information about food pantries were up 55 percent over the past year, according to a report released this week by United Way for Greater Austin.
The nonprofit group says the jump represents calls from people who can’t provide food for their families that day or within the week.
“We’ve been seeing a trend upwards over the last two years and this was a pretty significant jump,” said Sarah Janecka with the United Way. “It just speaks to how even though the economy is recovering, families still aren’t making enough money to cover their basic needs like food.”
The report also said that women placed 70 percent of all calls to the 211 hotline.
