Title: BBJ: Food Banks struggle

" Greater Boston food Bank of England's largest hunger relief operation is struggling with declining food donations as well as raising enough money to meet its own fund raising goals. Lisa Vander pool of the Boston business journal joins us now with more on this and Lisa. Everybody's having a tough right now in this organization is no exception."

" At all definitely might well obviously food pantries are facing unprecedented demand right now an unfortunate because the recession. Food donations are weighed down but the story -- a little bit more complicated for the Greater Boston food bank which is preparing to move into its brand new 12000 square but. New facility -- this spring -- but the catch is that the organization still has to raise another eight million dollars. In order to pay for that facility and so now the organization. Which has about 75 employees and serves over 600 organizations. Is making cuts with in its organization in order to went -- How much money does the food bank need to raise this year. Yet so operating budget of the food bank is about twenty million dollars -- about twelve million dollars of that goes towards food. Right now they're trying to raise about six point two million dollars worth of corporate donations within which of course in this economy. Is no small feat and they've raised about 20% of that so far they're looking to raise about half of that by February if they don't. They're going to have to go back to their budget and possibly makes lamb -- And how about the other food pantries around new England and you found out about some others as well we did I mean it basically what they're saying is they're facing a lot of the same issues as the families that they -- serving -- that the community servings over in Jamaica Plain. They give out -- to the critically elder having a lot of trouble. Raising money also the American Red Cross is food pantry. They say they're also having trouble with donations so it's hard because these organizations are so important right now but they're having trouble staying afloat themselves."

" It is very difficult time all right Lisa thank you thanks -- now."