A bustling scene unfolds as a locked door at the rear of a warm and inviting home swings open, revealing a lengthy queue snaking through the yard. Each person patiently presents a small ticket before entering.
Welcome to Home House of Erie, a vital food pantry serving the community three mornings a week in a neighborhood bordering Erie, Pennsylvania.
Among the diverse crowd stands Megan, a 31-year-old single mother. Maneuvering her 18-month-old daughter in a stroller while corralling her three-year-old twins, Megan explains, “I come almost every time they’re open. It’s a lot of good nutritious food in here.”
Inside the house, resembling a mini-supermarket, Megan will gather fruits, vegetables, meat, bread, and other essentials. Despite receiving food stamps and Medicaid, she emphasizes the significance of the free food, labeling it a “godsend” that eases her financial strain.
Megan’s story mirrors that of countless Americans grappling with a soaring cost of living and persistent inflation. In Erie, however, the stakes are higher for presidential candidates. Pennsylvania, a swing state crucial in the 2020 election, holds immense electoral significance.
Both candidates, Donald Trump and President Joe Biden, recognize this, with Trump scheduling a campaign visit for Saturday, continuing his efforts from the previous election. Biden, too, plans to devote a significant portion of his upcoming week to the state.
Erie County, a pivotal swing region, serves as a barometer for Pennsylvania’s political landscape. Here, amidst a 12% food insecurity rate, inflation emerges as a pressing electoral concern.
While unemployment hovers around the national average at 4% and homelessness remains relatively low, the burgeoning food poverty is attributed to soaring grocery prices. Kevin Nelson, the program director at Home House of Erie, highlights Pennsylvania’s alarming inflation rates, with prices skyrocketing 8.2% in the past year and nearly 25% over the last four years, according to the Datasembly Consumer Price Index.