ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) -The Roadrunner Food Bank in Albuquerque has seen a dramatic increase in demand since the pandemic started. The “Souper Bowl” is one of their biggest fundraising events of the year. They have had to cancel the event during a time when it’s the most needed.
The pains of hunger do not have boundaries, during a year with a pandemic put more strains on resources. The efforts to also fight hunger became even tighter. “Before The pandemic with one in six people experiencing hunger and one in four children. Now the pandemic has exacerbated that with one and three children likely to experience hunger and one in five people overall,” said Sonya Warwick, of Roadrunner Food Bank.
Those numbers have places like the Roadrunner Food Bank of New Mexico worried about needing more food this year. For someone like Lorissa Orosco and her two children, they’re part of that new alarming statistic. “It’s sad and just knowing that everybody is struggling… everybody. You know, like I said, I work but I’m still struggling with bringing food so I know there’s people out there who want to help but I also have their own financial struggles,” said Lorrissa Orosco, a social worker.
Fundraising events held by Roadrunner Food Bank like the the local “Souper Bowl” will not be held in January because of the pandemic. Although food and monetary donations continue to support Roadrunner Food Bank, Orosco says her job as a social worker and helping other families in similar situations reinforces the need more than ever.
Visit https://www.rrfb.org/souper-bowl/ to donate.
