Houstonians seeking out assistance amid rising cost of living, data shows

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- The two most recent inflation reports show that costs are rising for both consumers and companies.

Prices for consumers rose 4.2% in May compared to a year earlier, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. That is the highest level in three years.

In May, prices for producers rose a seasonally adjusted 1.1%, which is higher than anticipated. That is prompting some Houstonians to seek assistance.

"I've been going to pantries and friends whenever they cook and stuff like that," Robert said.

Organizations like the Houston Food Bank help people in need of food assistance.

"We are the largest food bank in the country in terms of distribution," Houston Food Bank's Senior Director of Programs, Melanie McGuire said. "A lot of our neighbors look at our website to look for food assistance in our region. Just this year alone, we've had over 465,000 searches for both food and critical services, but in the last month to month and a half we've seen increases of 20 to 25%."

McGuire said the Houston Food Bank also connects people with organizations.

"West Houston Assistance Ministries comes to mind. They're one of our largest food distribution partners, but they also provide financial literacy programs, assistance for case management for some of those areas that you mentioned, like housing assistance or utility," McGuire said.

A steady increase in prices puts pressure on the U.S. Federal Reserve to raise interest rates to lower inflation.

The U.S. Federal Reserve will hold its scheduled meetings on June 16 and 17.

It remains to be seen whether the Fed will take any action to dial back inflation.