When Work Isn’t Enough: Food Insecurity Grows in Melbourne

As inflation continues to squeeze household budgets across Florida, local food pantries are seeing a sharp rise in the number of working families seeking assistance. At The Sharing Center in downtown Melbourne, volunteers report that the demand for food support has expanded far beyond the unemployed or unhoused. Increasingly, households with full-time jobs are unable to keep pace with soaring prices and stagnant wages.

This trend aligns with national data. According to USAFacts, more than one-third of U.S. households live above the federal poverty level but earn too little to consistently afford basic necessities such as food, housing, and transportation. These families fall into the category known as ALICE (Asset-Limited, Income-Constrained, Employed), a designation widely studied by the United Way ALICE Project. Rising grocery costs—documented by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics—further complicate daily survival for millions.

At the pantry, volunteers are witnessing the shift firsthand. “Most definitely. Even two-income households need assistance,” said Betsy, a volunteer who helps distribute food weekly. She notes that inflation has also reduced donations, creating a double strain on the organization’s ability to keep shelves stocked.

For clients like Fran, a retired caregiver supporting two adult sons with disabilities, the challenge is immediate and personal. With limited income and no eligibility for food assistance programs, the pantry has become essential. “The price of butter and milk and eggs and meat is out of sight… Since I don’t get food stamps, I have no choice but to come to the pantry,” she explained.

Local volunteers emphasize that food insecurity spans all demographics and circumstances. As Betsy put it, “Food insecurity does not discriminate.”
For many families, these community resources offer not only nutrition but stability in a time of economic uncertainty.