LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Project 150 and Three Square have prepared to feed thousands of families this Thanksgiving, but with a health and supply chain crisis, organizers say it has been one of the most difficult years they’ve ever had.
Stacy Chapter, the community outreach manager at Project 150, says we can blame the supply chain crisis.
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“There is a supply and demand problem, so we had trouble finding turkeys this year and they did cost us twice as much,” Chapter said.
Project 150 gives support services to homeless or disadvantaged high school students in the valley. They are feeding 2,000 families this Thanksgiving, but she says they couldn’t get everything they needed.
“If anybody has gone to the grocery store, you will know what I’m talking about,” Chapter said. “Finding quantities — there are limits on everything, with shipping costs and things being held up at the harbor.”
She says the number of teens in need has gone up significantly during the pandemic. Chapter has witnessed many lose their jobs, not able to afford rent or food. Many need help, but these challenges make it harder to keep up.
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“We have limited how many families we are able to support at this time,” Chapter said.
At Three Square, Southern Nevada’s only food bank, COO Larry Scott says they are feeling the impact, too.
“What might have cost us $2,200 to ship it here might be $8,000 now,” Scott said. “So transportation cost has raised dramatically, and what might have been a week is now six weeks to receive it.”
Scott says it is challenging trying to feed an entire community when resources are limited.
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He says labor shortages, shipping delays, and an increase in the cost of goods have made their job more difficult. But many in the valley have stepped in to help weather the storm and feed thousands in need.
“The community has just been absolutely anxious to be able to help, and I couldn’t have asked for anything more,” Scott said.
For the month of November, Project 150 has a program called “Feed it Forward” where you can donate $25 to help feed a family of four.
Both Project 150 and Three Square need donations and volunteers.
