Charitable food banks are also suffering from the recent increases in the cost of food. Last year food banks were being squeezed by the increased demand from the city's hungry, who were finding that rising rents, fuel costs, and transportation costs were limiting the income they had to devote to food. More and more people were turning to New York's charitable food organizations to make ends meet.

As the cost of living continues to increase, food prices have also jumped recently. This has not only pushed more people to the services that food banks provide, but are squeezing the banks themselves from the supply side.

The price of eggs and dairy products have jumped 25% and 13%, respectively over the last year, and the Food Bank of NYC says that the number of people coming to it for help has grown 24% since last year. The Food Bank for New York City has a site page on how to help, via donated money, food or volunteer effort.