Without some help, the holiday season may be extra hard for the state’s less fortunate families. According to Governor John Bell Edwards, food banks in Louisiana, and across the country have been hit hard this year, with both increased need and fewer donations resulting in emptier shelves than normal.

With the holidays looming this is a particularly tough time for food banks to be running low – as many families rely on them for their holiday (and every day) meals.

In New Orleans, issues like a disproportionate number of food deserts caused by economic disparity and gentrification combined with lower SNAP benefits for needy families. The holidays are a particularly difficult time for many, with financial resources stretched as thin as can be. And while many try to give what they can to ease the need of their fellow New Orleanians, donations are sadly falling far short of the growing need.

This may be because people have been concentrating on helping the victims of the myriad disasters that occurred this year: the Camp Fire in California, Hurricane Michael here on the Gulf Coast, and Tropical Storm Alberto on the east coast.

At any rate, if you have the resources to donate – either in nonperishable food items or monetarily, you can view our piece on local New Orleans food pantries in our Community Spotlight.

Jenn Bentley is a writer and editor originally from Cadiz, Kentucky. Her writing has been featured in publications such as The Examiner, The High Tech Society, FansShare, Yahoo News, and others. When she’s not writing or editing, Jenn spends her time raising money for Extra Life and advocating for autism awareness.