The number of people in New York City experiencing food insecurity has reached over 1 million, but one organization is working to combat the issue.

The Food Bank for New York City, which serves all five boroughs, says finding good, nutritious food has been tough with the recent rise of inflation and food shortages.

“We make sure that people who need it have access to good nutritious food,” said Food Bank for NYC President and CEO Leslie Gordon. “People who are food insecure, neighbors right here in New York City who don’t always know when their next meal is going to be or what it will be are struggling with high housing costs, inflation, underemployment and unemployment."

Gordon told News 12 even while the pandemic started three years ago, the effects still resonate as the visits to food programs have increased by 80% and the price of groceries increased by 20% since March 2020.

"Food insecurity is something that existed pre-pandemic and then there was a bright light shown on the problem as if it didn’t exist before, but it’s been here for years,” she added.

The organization has called on elected officials to help as the federal government begins to roll back pandemic benefits such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.