Feeding America Kentucky’s Heartland wants to help more people who are struggling with hunger in Christian County and held a meeting with community leaders Wednesday to develop a plan.
Executive Director Jamie Sizemore says Christian County is currently in the ‘red zone’, which means that not enough food is going to those in need in need, even though Feeding America has more than enough food to provide. That’s in thanks to donations and donations provided through the federal government, including The Emergency Food Assistance Program, and she says the current trade mitigation has provided them with an abundance of fresh produce.
The problem is not enough of it is making it to Christian County, according to Sizemore—18.7 percent of Christian County’s adult population is food insecure, and for the under the age of 18 population, which is about 20,620, that number is 19 percent.
She says those suffering with food insecurity could be anyone, including working families, and it is a very real problem.
Sizemore says they have many programs available to help those in need, including the backpack program that provides children with healthy food to take home outside of school, but they need more reach into the community to provide it.
One solution that could help get food to those who need it is to increase the number of students on the back pack program—right now, only 167 kids are enrolled, though hundreds more qualify for the program. That program would need funding and donations to make it happen.
She says Aaron McNeil House, which is already a food pantry for Feeding America, has agreed to host a mass food distribution day, but they need a larger location and volunteers.
Possible locations were suggested, such as the Boys and Girls Club on Walnut Street. Sizemore says they also need to increase the amount of partner agencies to act as food pantries in the community, so residents will have more places to go and receive the food they greatly need.