(NewsNation Now) — Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, gas prices have sored almost 30 cents, according to analysts.
Currently, the national average for a gallon of regular gas is $3.84, which is 11 cents higher than the day before.
It’s also the highest price since September 2021. Lawmakers in both parties are pushing President Biden to ban Russian energy imports in hopes of stopping that nation’s attack on Ukraine.
“When you have a country that is a large oil producer contributing to the global market, then there’s concern that that country’s supply could be altered or cut off. There’s volatility in the market, and certainly crude oil is very susceptible,” according to the American Auto Association.
AAA predicts prices will continue to go up, and investors are jittery.
Currently, this is the biggest price surge since hurricane Katrina. But there’s a big difference between what is happening now, and the aftermath of a storm.
“The big difference here is after a hurricane, the price goes back down. But now we don’t know when they will go back down.”
And it’s hitting the wallets of everyday Americans.
Among those affected volunteers for nonprofit organizations and the groups themselves.
For three years, Jason Moeller has driven a weekly route to volunteer for Meals on Wheels, an organization dedicated to addressing senior isolation and hunger. These days, however, it’s costing Moeller more than ever to volunteer.
“I fill my car up an extra time every week, so it makes a difference,” he said. “You’re talking a couple hundred bucks a month.”
The cost to individual volunteers is one high, but for nonprofits involved in transportation, including private schools and churches, the costs are staggering.
“We’re also talking about buses that just drink the gasoline, and when you got a vehicle that’s getting 10 miles to the gallon, you know you’re filling it up all the time,” said Kevin Fish, executive director of Ability Point, a Kansas organization that provides more than 300 unique programs and activities that help improve the lives of nearly 4,000 individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families.