News 12 @ 6 o'clock -- August 4, 2008

AUGUSTA, Ga--The cost of everyday staples such as milk, bread and eggs are still on the rise, that's no surprise. More families are turning to local food banks and pantries for help. One of the regions largest distributors of food, Golden Harvest is also feeling the effects of rising costs.

Golden harvest is in need of more donations. Without them, they may have to cut back on the amount of food they give out.The boost in food prices is sending more people to the golden harvest food bank or nearby pantries for food.

And with grocery prices going up in the past few months, many more, especially working families and seniors are using the bank as a resource. The demand in some areas have led some pantries to close its doors.

With the decline in donations of canned goods in Augusta, Golden Harvest may not be able to continue to meet the demands of everyone in need. And not being able to help those who need it most is a major concern for the bank.

"Our loose cans and salvage cans from grocery chains both have dropped a good bit recently and we're finding it very, very tough to have regular canned goods to give people in need," said Michael J. Firman of Golden Harvest.

The golden harvest food bank has numerous fundraising opportunities throughout the year so they can continue to help those who need it. They're hoping the fundraisers will also bring in more canned goods so they can continue to feed those in need.