The Rhode Island Community Food Bank says the cost of food in the state has increased by 15 percent over the past two years, outpacing wage growth.
The food bank released its annual report on hunger to coincide with Thanksgiving week.
Food bank CEO Andrew Schiff says even though Rhode Island is experiencing economic prosperity and low unemployment, the number of people served by their food pantries hasn't dramatically dropped because of the high cost of living.
The network serves about 53,000 people each month.
The food bank determined food inflation figures by shopping for the same groceries for a week of meals. The receipt grew 15 percent, from $252.82 in 2016 to $290.69 in 2018.
Federal statistics show wages for employees in nonsupervisory roles have increased nationally by 5 percent since 2016.
