ABC-7, Albertsons kick off Hunger Action Month campaign for September

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- September is Hunger Action Month. Every year, Albertsons grocery stores raise funds to assist local food banks, including El Pasoans Fighting Hunger.

The campaign runs throughout the entire month of September at all Albertsons in El Paso. You can find the option to donate to EPFH at checkout using the keypad.

For interim CEO Kris Yagel, it's more than food distribution.

"They're just like us," said Yagel. 

For some El Paso families, this is the hardest question of the week: what will they do when the food runs out. 

And at the El Pasoans Fighting Hunger Food Bank, the demand isn't slowing down.

 "Something came. A tidal wave came and knocked out, you know, their finances or something like that," said Yagel. 

The food bank helps connects families with programs like mobile pantries, senior assistance and help signing up for snap.

With hunger action month now underway, the food bank is asking the community to help keep the shelves stocked.

"It's hard to get a living wage these days. And so even though they're doing everything lockstep like they should, they still have a shortfall. Or maybe they have a medical expense, with a family member, somebody that is just exuberant and their insurance doesn't cover it, and they're trying to cover all this stuff, and they're they're short," Yagel told ABC-7's Olivia Vara during the interview. 

The need isn't going away — and neither is the line of people that need groceries. 

"Again, the message is, let's have grace. Let's not judge," said Yagel. 

For anyone in doubt of the need, Yagel asks them to come out, volunteer and talk to the people in line themselves. 

"You can see firsthand what I see and what my team sees. You can interact with our neighbors who are coming to get the food. You can see what our operation is all about. And then you can make an informed decision," said Yagel.