Feeding America, Kentucky’s Heartland is ramping up efforts to support Kentuckians affected by the ongoing government shutdown.
During a press conference at their Elizabethtown headquarters Thursday, the organization discussed the impact of the $5 million Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear ordered to be disbursed to Feeding America’s network of food banks as part of his state of emergency declared on October 31 after the shutdown disrupted SNAP benefits.
FAKH Executive Director Charles Dennis said the prevailing theme of the last several weeks has been “fear and uncertainty”.
“Fear from parents wanting to provide for their children, fear from our agency partners worried about having enough to meet the demand, and uncertainty for when things will change,” Dennis said.
FAKH says data shows more than 57,000 households in the organization’s 42-county service region received SNAP benefits in October.
Kentucky Lieutenant Governor Jacqueline Coleman said it is likely that every Kentuckian knows or is related to somebody dependent on SNAP benefits.
“13 percent of Kentucky’s population, which is a higher percentage than the national average, receives SNAP,” Coleman said. “Over 60,000 of those are adults with disabilities. Over 92,000 of those are elderly. We also must recognize that those are not just numbers or statistics. They are human beings. They are our families, our friends, and they are fellow Kentuckians.”
FAKH received just over $1 million as part of the emergency funding to purchase and distribute food.
Learn more about how you can support the organization through donations or volunteering by visiting www.feedingamericaky.org.
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