Here’s a last-minute holiday gift idea: food.

This country is caught in a damaging cycle. Hard times mean that hunger is rising while donations to food banks are dropping. Government does help. Food-stamp use has increased 65 percent since 2008 to an all-time high. But private charity has to help as well.

Several years ago, we decided to stop giving each other expensive holiday presents and donate that money to our local feeding programs. Since then, the need has only gotten worse. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the official poverty rate jumped to 15.1 percent last year, or 46.2 million people. But twice that number “are scraping by on earnings that classify them as low income,” reports The Associated Press. One key reason: Since the recession began in 2007, real household incomes have actually dropped 6.4 percent.

These trends have a direct impact on food security. The United States Conference of Mayors reported recently that of 29 cities surveyed, 25 saw a sharp increase in requests for help. As a result, many feeding agencies are reducing quantities or limiting visits; some are even turning away needy families.

Behind these statistics are real faces, real families, real communities. Here’s a brief sampling of reports from around the country: