One in seven Kentuckians or more than 600 thousand people seek emergency food assistance each year. That's according to a report released Thursday by the Kentucky Association of Food Banks.
Association Director Tamara Sandberg says a hunger-free Kentucky is possible, but research confirms food banks can't do it alone. "We believe that together we can solve hunger in Kentucky, but it's gonna require all of us to come together and do our part from policy makers, to business owners, to farmers, to charities," said Sandberg.
Sandberg says federal nutrition programs have helped many Kentuckians avoid the dire circumstances seen in third world countries. She adds, however, those programs alone are not meeting the need for all emergency food assistance demands in Kentucky.
Sandberg says state government has more than $1 million set aside to purchase unsold produce for those who are food insecure.She says more than three million pounds of Kentucky grown produce has been distributed this year. "I think, if we had the funding for it we could easily double that and we could have six million pounds of Kentucky grown produce distributed in the 2015 growing season," added Sandberg.
Sandberg says her group will not ask state lawmakers for additional resources in the coming year. She believes the answer to helping hungry Kentuckians is to pair government funds with private and charitable donations. ?
