Grand Bahama’s leading food aid organizations are grappling with unprecedented demand as residents increasingly rely on non-profits to supplement their shrinking grocery budgets. The Grand Bahama Red Cross Society and Reach Out Ministries report a significant rise in weekly inquiries, walk-ins, and requests to join their feeding programs, highlighting the growing economic hardship on the island. Kimberly Outten, administrator at the Grand Bahama Red Cross, revealed that their Meals on Wheels service, which provides hot meals to disabled and elderly residents five days a week, has been operating at full capacity for months. Despite serving approximately 50 to 55 individuals, the program is unable to meet the escalating demand. Many seeking assistance have already exhausted other options, such as Social Services and churches, only to be redirected to the Red Cross. In addition to Meals on Wheels, the organization distributes monthly grocery parcels to 22 families, but new requests continue to strain resources, with 12 to 20 weekly walk-ins seeking help. The needs often extend beyond food, with requests for home repairs and rent assistance, which the Red Cross cannot provide. As Thanksgiving approaches, the organization is preparing for its Feed the 10,000 initiative, a community-supported mass feeding event expected to exceed 10,000 meals. Reach Out Ministries is experiencing similar pressures, with founder Dudley Seide noting a steady stream of calls for assistance, including 60 to 70 weekly requests. The ministry continues its weekly Sunday feeding program and is gearing up for Thanksgiving and Christmas initiatives. Seide emphasized the acute need among older residents, many of whom face financial instability due to delayed pensions and unemployment.