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Last year, in the United States looked to food banks and food pantries for support, according to a 2023 report from Feeding America. The end of COVID-era government assistance programs and the rising cost of groceries due to inflation have many Americans facing food insecurity.

According to a 2023 Department of Agriculture report, 12.8% of households around the country—about 17 million—were . That's up from the 10.2% of households who had difficulty providing food for everyone in their home in 2021, and also up from the 10.5% who said the same in 2020. It's the highest share of food-insecure households in the U.S. since 2014.

The rise of food insecurity and the economic situation in the U.S. means that food banks are struggling to keep up with the demand. "Local food banks, pantries, and community meal programs have become an essential component of many households' food budgets, especially as we continue to face increased food prices and the end of pandemic-era benefits," Claire Babineaux-Fontenot, CEO of Feeding America, accompanying the nonprofit's aforementioned report. In an earlier 2023 survey from Feeding America, 65% of responding food banks reported an .

It can be difficult to know where to go if you want to help, as many do during the holiday season in particular. To help guide you, compiled a list of food bank volunteer opportunities near Phoenix using data from . Read on to see what you can do for those grappling with food insecurity in your community, from distributing lunches to seniors to serving meals at soup kitchens.

Dinnertime Heroes Ronald McDonald House Charities
- Organization: Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central and Northern Arizona
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Front Desk Volunteer Needed - Bilingual Required - Weekly Commitment
- Organization: NourishPHX
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Regional Director-Phoenix AZ
- Organization: CitiIMPACT
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Student Opportunity--Help Fight Hunger Around America's Breakfast Tables
- Organization: CEREAL4ALL INC
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Kitchen Support
- Organization: Sojourner Center
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Donation Intake/Processing for WHEAT's Clothes Silo
- Organization: WHEAT
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Envelope stuffing with Food for the Hungry!
- Organization: Food for the Hungry
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Food Pantry
- Organization: Catholic Charities Community Services AZ
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Holiday Humanitarian Aid Vacation in Belize
- Organization: Global Education Philanthropists
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Volunteer at Desert Mission Food Bank
- Organization: HonorHealth
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Creighton Community Food Box Distribution
- Organization: CREIGHTON COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
- Dates: Jan 6 to Jan 27
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Feed Homeless & At-Risk Children--HelpSnackz Truck Loading & Warehousing
- Organization: Homeless Engagement & Lift Partnership Inc.
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On-call Meal Delivery Driver
- Organization: FSL Helping You Live Independently
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Truck Driver (NO CDL NEEDED)
- Organization: Resurrection Street Ministry, Inc.
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Meals Delivery Driver
- Organization: Meals of Joy
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Southwest Valley Seniors need help with Grocery Shopping
- Organization: BENEVILLA
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Cook a Meal for a Neighbor in Need in Phoenix, AZ
- Organization: Lasagna Love
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Meal Donation Volunteer
- Organization: NEW LIFE CENTER
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Spread love, joy, and frosting in Peoria, AZ as a volunteer baker!
- Organization: FOR GOODNESS CAKES
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Become a Warehouse Volunteer!
- Organization: Midwest Food Bank, NFP
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Feed My Starving Children Packing Sessions - Mesa, AZ
- Organization: Feed My Starving Children
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Borderlands' P.O.W.W.O.W. at Bologna Elementary School
- Organization: BORDERLANDS PRODUCE RESCUE
- Dates: Nov 18 to Jan 20
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This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Jaimie Etkin, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 101 metros.