LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — So many of you have sent us your power bills that show they are doubling, tripling, and in some cases, quadrupling.
So combining that with the high cost of groceries, a lot of families in our valley are having to make some tough choices.
Do I pay for power or groceries?
I want to make sure you're not stressed about that decision so I'm taking you inside the Jewish Family Services Agency Food Pantry, which is open to anyone that needs that extra help.
I spoke with Army veteran and Las Vegas local Timothy James O'Brien who shared the hard times he's been through in the past. At one point, he was dealing with homelessness.
"Well, I just actually had nowhere to go," he told me.
He says the JFSA food pantry has been a game-changer for him.
"What does this do for you, this food bank," I asked.
"Well, it got me on my feet and it gives me a lift up," he replied.
It's that lift up that so many here in the valley need right now as the cost of everything continues to rise.
"If what we can do is offer you a little bit of food so that you can save those dollars to pay other, more important bills, such as our power bills, we know how important that is this time of year. That's what we want to do," said Renea Parr, JFSA's Emergency Services Director.
Parr tells me that 2,000 people are stopping by the food bank every month.
"Things are so expensive and the price of food has skyrocketed in the last few years and we're all feeling that," Parr said. "The clients that need our food is really people like you and me. It's really everyone in our community."
JFSA says they have partnerships with Three Square Food Bank and local grocery stores like Albertsons, Smith's, and Trader Joe's who donate food on a daily basis and JFSA is there to pick it up.
"This is food that grocery stores would otherwise throw away," Parr told me. "That's perfectly good food and we bring it here and give it out the same day."
For O'Brien, he loves the food he picks up.
"Canned food. Ice cream. It's the milk, bread," O'Brien said.
"Things you really like. The staples," I said.
"Yeah," he replied.
How can you be approved to be part of the program?
"If you are in need of food, all you need to do is call us," Parr said. "You can go to our website. You can call our phone lines here. Anyone who comes here and says they need food, we will give you food."
O'Brien knows that first-hand.
"I'm just thankful that they're there for me."
JFSA says they also have pop-up markets across the valley, from schools to apartment complexes. They tell me they'll go anywhere that they are invited.
For more information on that, you can visit the agency's website, social media pages, or call them at (702) 732-0304.
