As grocery prices increase, more and more locals are relying on food banks. But with gas prices continuing to climb, getting to the pantries has become a bigger challenge.
Once a month, Carolyn Dowty, a retired special education teacher, goes to the downtown location of Catholic Charities to get free groceries.
“So you have to have a purpose. I didn't never used to have a purpose. I wait for a certain day where I can do a whole thing, and I have a lot of doctor's appointments, and those you can't spread out,” Dowty said.
She said the downtown food pantry saves her hundreds of dollars every month. But while this saves her some money, she’s spending more on gas. It costs her at least six dollars worth of gas just to come into town and go back to her house in the North Valleys area.
According to AAA, regular unleaded in Nevada is averaging about $5.48 per gallon. Reno residents are currently paying about $5.77, about 30 cents more than the price in Las Vegas. Diesel prices in Reno also reached a record high in late September.
Volunteers at Catholic Charities have also noticed their clients carpooling more to save money on gas.
Volunteer Carlos Riano said families living in North Valleys and their older clients, even those from Virginia City have joined forces and make the trip down together.
“With the fuel prices that they are at now, the biggest challenge is getting here for a lot of these families,” Riano said.
Economics professor Craig Gundersen said the rising energy prices means less income for people to spend on food and other necessities.
“People don't realize oftentimes how important food banks are to addressing food insecurity in our country,” Gundersen said.
As Dowty put her grocery cart away, she shares how higher prices including gas are starting to really hurt her financially.
“I just cashed out a retirement fund, which was really saved for long-term health care, and I had to cash in,” Dowty said.
She said she didn’t expect the cost of living to be as high as it is now.