FRANKFORT, Ky. — This September, Feeding Kentucky, together with the Feeding America nationwide network of food banks, will mobilize across all 50 states in an effort to bring an end to hunger. Hunger Action Month is designed to inspire people to take action and raise awareness of the number of people who are food-insecure, meaning they lack consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy lifestyle.
According to Feeding America’s Map the Meal Gap report, Kentucky has the eighth highest rate in the nation of people struggling to put food on the table. In Kentucky, 662,000 people are at risk of hunger and may not know where they will find their next meal. That number includes one in every five kids who may not have enough to eat.
In just months, the COVID-19 pandemic has destroyed a decade of progress in the fight to end hunger in Kentucky, according to analysis from Feeding America’s The Impact of the Coronavirus on Local Food Insecurity study.
The food banks in the Feeding Kentucky network have been working diligently to help meet the increased need for emergency food assistance in the commonwealth. The network distributed 79 million meals from July 2019 – June 2020, which is an increase of more than 9 million pounds of food over the previous year.
“Hunger is a serious problem in Kentucky, but it doesn’t have to be,” said Tamara Sandberg, Executive Director of Feeding Kentucky. “We need the support of our communities now more than ever to help our neighbors in need. With every action, we get one step closer to making hunger a thing of the past.”
September marks the thirteenth year the Feeding America network of food banks has organized this annual call to action and tenth year Feeding Kentucky has participated in the Hunger Action Month movement. This year the campaign will focus on ending hunger one helping at a time.
Hunger Action Day®, the second Thursday in September, is a day where efforts across the country are focused for greater impact. Feeding Kentucky is seeking 700 actions on September 10th from the public – a donation, a volunteer shift, a social media post – that will help end hunger, one helping at a time.
The global health pandemic has meant a cancellation of many of the activities the Feeding Kentucky network had planned in honor of Hunger Action Month. However, there are still ways to get involved, such as the following:
- Freestore Foodbank will host its 26th annual Rubber Duck Regatta virtually on Sunday, September 6th. Each duck purchased will help provide 15 meals to the community. Buy a Duck and Feed a Child today. Learn more at RubberDuckRegatta.org.
- God’s Pantry Food Bank is sponsoring a fun way to support the Food Bank and your food and beverage makers from Taste of the Bluegrass event. 20+ food and drink partners are waiting to serve you this September through the More Than Just A Meal event. Learn more at Godspantry.org/events.
To learn more about Feeding Kentucky and other ways you can get involved for Hunger Action Month in Kentucky, please visit FeedingKY.org or HungerActionMonth.org.
— Feeding Kentucky
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