Rural or urban, rich or poor, the rising cost of living and skyrocketing debt have placed an undue burden on Americans in battleground statesleaving local food banks facing record levels of need.

Residents of swing state Michigan — a key player in the 2024 presidential election — are no exception.

“Food prices in general, prices for basic needs have all gone up to the point where a lot of people who maybe didn’t need to come for food assistance are now having to come to the Charitable Food Network for food assistance, and obviously we “I see that across our service area here in West Michigan,” Ken Estelle, president and CEO of Feeding America West Michigan, told “America’s Newsroom” on Monday.

Data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics shows the cost of basic food items increased dramatically – up 28% for bread, 41% for coffee, 30% for flour, 43% for beef, 37% for butter and 161% for eggs.

FOOD BANKS FIGHT FOR MORE PEOPLE FACING FOOD INSECURITY

Food banks become inundated with first-time visitors as well as repeat users who need support for their families. (Deb Cohn-Orbach/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

Due to tough economic times, paying off high debts and surviving inflation have resulted in depleted savings, leaving families struggling to put food on the table, thus increasing demand on food banks.

Rising wages and falling unemployment haven’t eased the struggle either.

Estelle’s organization, which serves 40 of Michigan’s 83 counties, recovers surplus safe food from various sources and partners with local agencies, such as food banks, to provide meals to local families in need. He said the need for food extends to working families as well as the unemployed.

“I think we’re seeing a lot more people for the first time than in the past, for sure, but we’re also seeing more people coming more often, so it’s not just more households and people coming for help, we’re seeing people coming more often because they run out of income or money earlier in the month than they used to.”

As the number of hungry people rises, America’s food pantries are more important than ever

Data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics show shocking price increases for several essential food items. (Fox News)

“Again, a lot of those who come in are working, so it’s not just unemployed, it’s working families, struggling,” he said.

According to Estelle, a truckload of supplies carrying enough food for up to 600 households is sometimes not enough to meet this higher demand, which has increased by 18% in the past year.

And Michigan families are not alone.

A a recent Wall Street Journal report cited officials from the Food Bank of Northern Nevada, which serves 155,000 people monthly in the upstate — a 70 percent increase over 2019 numbers.

Central Pennsylvania food banks serve up to 275,000 people a month because of the financial hardships many families face, according to a NBC News report.

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Estelle said of her own region’s crisis: “We have never seen this level of need in our 43 years of serving this community. It’s significantly higher than during COVID and has pushed us beyond our capacity.”

“We’ve just seen this drumbeat grow every month by more and more people.”

The economy remains a divisive issue for voters heading to him Tuesday’s showdown between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris, with voters expected to choose between two paths forward on economic policy.

Estelle said those willing to help those struggling to support their families can volunteer at local food banks or provide financial support.