Summer feeding programs working to limit hunger in Kentucky

SOUTH CENTRAL KENTUCKY – According to Feeding America Kentucky’s Heartland, one out of four kids go without food.

Several organizations are doing what they can to limit food deserts and give children 18 and under access to food in more ways than one.

Manda Barger, marketing and communications manager for Feeding America Kentucky’s Heartland, says, “If they’re not already facing that situation. You know, many Kentucky families, parents are working multiple jobs. We know multiple families in Kentucky. There are a lot of grandparents taking care of grandkids or great-grandkids. And if they’re able to lean into us to fulfill some of the gap and trying to keep those bellies full, we’re happy to do it.”

Programs like the summer food service program, that are funded by the USDA, provided millions of meals last year alone and plan to have about 2,000 locations across Kentucky to pick up food.

Cathy Gallagher, the Kentucky manager of the summer food service program, says, “When a child goes to an open site, their name isn’t taken, there’s no role taken. So we don’t really know how many kids. But I can tell you that over the course of last summer, there were over 11 million meals served. And that’s all meals: breakfast, lunch, supper.”

You can find more information on programs that provide food near you on Feeding America Kentucky’s Heartland website and the USDA’s website.