PHOENIX (AZFamily)<\/b> \u2014 As food insecurity surges nationwide, the Trump administration has made a controversial move to cancel the government\u2019s annual report tracking hunger in America. <\/p>\n
The decision has sparked concern among advocacy groups across the country, including right here in Arizona, where local food banks are struggling to meet growing demand.<\/p>\n
Nina Tarkovnik, an administrator at the Arizona Kosher Food Pantry<\/a>, says they are witnessing the effects firsthand.<\/p>\n \u201cThis month alone, we\u2019ve had an 18% increase in need over August in just the first two weeks in September,\u201d Tarkovink said. \u201cSo it is getting bad.\u201d<\/p>\n The Arizona Kosher Food Pantry is the only food bank in the state dedicated to serving Jewish community members in need. But these days, its reach extends far beyond any one group. Staff say they\u2019ve been seeing more new faces. <\/p>\n One of those people is Michael Janis, who recently turned to the pantry for the first time after finishing rehab. \u201cWhether the food is almost expired or not, food is food right now. I feel like a lot more resources like this are really needed,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n The strain on resources at the pantry comes in the wake of significant cuts to national food assistance programs, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program<\/a> (SNAP). <\/p>\n Advocates worry that eliminating the USDA\u2019s annual Household Food Security Report, a tool that for decades has helped track how many Americans struggle with hunger, will further add to the crisis. In announcing the cancellation of the survey, the USDA cited concerns over cost and political bias, calling it \u201credundant, costly, politicized,\u201d and accusing it of promoting fear.<\/p>\n But local leaders like Tarkovnik disagree. \u201cYou know, just because the numbers aren\u2019t there from the USDA doesn\u2019t mean that all these people have enough to eat.\u201d <\/p>\n See a spelling or grammatical error in our story? Please click here to report it<\/a>.<\/p>\n