by Chuck Seaver, South Lake Tablet
Managing a full-service food distribution center is a challenge in the best of times, but during a time when food prices continue to rise, the challenge has become even more worrisome for CEO Trish Kry and the staff of The Neighborhood Center of South Lake (TNCSL). The staff and many volunteers at TNCSL each have personal experiences in life that have led them to the call of serving others in the way of food assistance. The goal of TNCSL, which was established in 1972, is not only to provide food for people who have found themselves in unusual financial circumstances due to rising rent, insurance, and other cost-of-living expenses, but to provide nutritional food that will help the recipients remain healthy. “Our primary emphasis is on nutritional needs versus simply filling one’s stomach with any kind of food,” says Trish.
The Center has seen tremendous growth in its client list during a time when food purchase ability for the TNCSL has realized a 30% decline in pounds for every dollar spent, versus a 33% increase in clients so far this year compared to all of 2024. That percentage is added to the all-time client increase of 44% in 2023 when food price increases became too much for many families and individuals alike to handle. Sharp increases in food prices began around mid-2022 and have continued to rise since that time. Retail food prices have decreased marginally in some categories, such as dairy and some produce. However, that price decrease is still well above the average price of 2022 for those same items.
Trish has concerns about the Center’s financial ability to continue to serve the families of South Lake at the same level that it has in the past. The challenge has been magnified during a time when donations have declined considerably, and many of the state and federal grants once relied upon to offset costs have dried up or have been cut out of government budgets.
“School-break programs that once served 700 children during school break sessions have now been cut back to serve 500 children. That was not an easy decision, but we simply did not have the funding to cover the typical 14-week total of school holidays and break sessions each year”, says Trish.
Contrary to a stereotypical view of people receiving assistance with food needs, “our clients are not lazy people-they work and several volunteer their extra time at our Center. We have a few clients who are currently homeless but continue to work every day to overcome the situation that they have been faced with. During a time when average wages in the area are not keeping up with the cost of living, we serve a wide variety of clients, including first-responders, educators, service-oriented employees such as retail and restaurant industries, just to name a few,” says Trish.
Many costs that are often overlooked by the public when donating are the operating costs of the Center. TNCSL is a licensed food pantry, licensed by the Florida Department of Agriculture, a department that has oversight jurisdiction to ensure satisfactory food storage and disbursement safety requirements. Requirements that require certain freezer, refrigeration, and air-conditioned storage temperatures. The average summer power bill for the Center is $2,000.00+ per month. Other costs that are not usually thought about by the public are the staff salaries, operating costs of the Center’s food transportation truck, utilities, and other day-to-day operational costs. It should be noted that the Center maintains a bare-bones staff of only five full-time employees and three part-time employees while relying heavily on unpaid volunteers to accomplish the TNCSL’s mission of serving those who are working through food insecurities.
With shrinking budgets and declining monetary donations for food purchases, TNCSL still managed to distribute 1,467,000 lbs. of food in 2024. Along with that impressive number, the Center worked to stabilize 26,649 families through food assistance and financial literacy classes. School break meals provided to students totaled 199,800, while documenting 106,570 lives that were changed through the Centers’ aid.
While the TNCSL may not be able to help everyone, it makes every effort possible to help as many as it can. The Center relies heavily on the community and the businesses within the community to help them help others. That is why your support matters now more than ever. At TNCSL, every $1 that you give provides $9 in groceries- a 900% return on your generosity that translates into a real impact: children who can focus on school and not on hunger pains, seniors who do not have to choose between meals and medicine, and families who can simply breathe a little easier.
“Together, we’re not just helping people survive-we’re helping them thrive. Together, we grow healthier communities. Together we feed families in need,” says Trish.
Please visit www.tncsl.org or more information and hours of operation.
