NANTICOKE, Pa. — Stan Gorgas spends a lot of time behind the wheel as a delivery driver for Brick House Pizza in Nanticoke. He's been keeping a close eye on the price at the pump.
"I went to work and watched as I drove back on different deliveries, and the price just kept going up, up, up. It was $50 one week. Now we're spending $80."
The owners of Brick House Pizza started paying the drivers extra money out of their own pockets to offset high fuel costs.
But drivers say the majority of their tips are still going toward filling their tanks.
"Some days, they'll do 50 to 80 miles on their own car," said co-owner Ken Hillman.
So Ken and Debbie Hillman decided to tack on a $1 delivery charge that will go directly to the drivers.
"We held off as long as we could with raising our prices, and for two years since we opened, we were doing free delivery," Debbie said. "But the gas prices are just sky-high now, and it doesn't seem like it's gonna end any time soon."
Kevin Young sometimes travels more than 60 miles round trip to deliver pet food to people in need.
He's the president of Pawsitively for the Animals, a nonprofit based in Scranton that provides financial assistance and supplies to pet owners.
The organization can't afford to spend money on gas.
"So my wife and I are eating this bill. We always have. But when we started the program, gas was $2.20 a gallon," Young said.
Young decided to limit deliveries to one day in Lackawanna County and one day a week in Luzerne County. He's trying to consolidate as many deliveries as he can in one place.
Young is worried about the domino effect this will likely have.
As people struggle financially, Pawsitively for the Animals will get more and more requests for help. And that could put a strain on such a small organization funded entirely by donations and grant money.
"Two trips to Plymouth is enough money to spay and neuter a cat," Young said.
But Young says he will never say no to a delivery when a client is entirely out of pet food.
"We stretch, but we will not break."
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