For the 13th year, the non-profit Feeding America is documenting food insecurity in all 50 states. Their 'Map the Meal Gap' report, which is released every two years, includes data for Kentucky’s 120 counties.
Those working to help get food into the hands of hungry Kentuckians are concerned the meal gap, or the number of families struggling to put food on the table, in many communities could increase. That data is starkly different from the narrowing of the gap that was recorded during an active period of coronavirus. Cassidy Wheeler is the advocacy coordinator for Feeding Kentucky, a partner group of Feeding America.
“The fear that we have here in the anti-hunger community is that now that these really impactful policies have ended we’re afraid that those numbers are going to go back to where they were pre-pandemic level. So, we afraid that those 65,000 Kentuckians who were lifted out of food insecurity are once again gonna become food insecure,” said Wheeler.
Wheeler said more people in Kentucky are going to go hungry unless policy changes are made now at the state and federal levels.
God’s Pantry Food Bank, in Lexington, serves 50 counties in central and southeastern Kentucky. CEO Mike Halligan said the number of households receiving food went from about 500 before the pandemic to 350 during COVID, to now about 650. Part of the response, says Halligan is increasing mobile pantry and healthcare services.
“If we’re able to provide nutritious food when someone is also getting the healthcare or the treatment that they need, now we’ve made it easier for folks to get nutritious food at the same time that they’re getting healthcare,” said Halligan.
Halligan said the Map the Meal Gap report is based on 2021 data. He worries that Kentucky’s 14.2% food insecurity rate could rise to more than 17%. Economic challenges have been a reality of the communities served by God’s Pantry for years. Halligan said broadband expansion and remote employment could help in the years ahead.
“So, it needs to be this balance of taking jobs to people, but also taking people to jobs and there’s a sweet spot in there somewhere that I think will help reduce hunger over time. It’s not an easy fix, it’s not something that’s gonna happen tomorrow,” said Halligan.
In fact, Halligan noted people who drive long trips to work from home in southeastern Kentucky have to deal with high gas costs while at the same time facing household budget constraints. The God’s Pantry leader added 11 Kentucky counties rank among the top 50 food-insecure counties in the U.S.
The Map the Meal Gap report shows two years ago Wolfe County had the highest food insecurity rate in Kentucky at 24%.
The Abiding Hope Food Pantry is situated back off the road in Campton behind the Bear Pen Worship Center. Bob and Berniece Whisman are coordinators for food distribution every other Friday, year-round.
All kinds of canned goods with vegetables and fruit and boxes of non-perishables, plus refrigerated items are found in the roughly 15 by 30-foot structure. Bob said he and Berniece drive to Lexington and Clay City to pick up food, and without a fork life, carry in items by hand. Whisman said he helps with what’s needed at the time and his wife’s the communicator.
“We like doing it, especially my wife, she’s a talker and she likes to associate with everyone. Everyone that comes, there’s just all the time having a good time,” said Whisman.
Berniece Whisman says the pantry offers supplemental assistance with enough food for a couple of meals. Of the 65 to 80 people that come for food twice a month, she said they see a few new people every time.
“The elderly breaks your heart. You know they can’t go out and work a few days, mow a few yards, or anything like that to earn a little extra money like some of the younger people can,” said Whisman.
Whisman estimates about 65% of those participating in the Abiding Hope Pantry program are families with children. And volunteer support is an important part of the process to make it work well.
“One gentleman, he was actually there to get food when Bob and I first started out and he said, ‘You need some help.’ And I said, we sure do. He went and put his food in the car and came back. He’s been with us ever since,” said Whisman.
Jimmy Fraley said he’s a member of the worship center, and that’s how he found out about the pantry. Fraley says it’s a place he visits about three to four times a year.
“A lot of time you know when you’re on a fixed income and things like that you start running low on money toward the end of the month. It’s very helpful and grocery prices have been going up,” said Fraley.
Mary Morton has also come by the pantry. She said there may be fruit available, like blueberries and Morton says her budget wouldn’t normally allow that purchase.
“Well, it comes in handy because you got extra food and you got stuff you can eat and it’s different from what you would buy and that helps you that away. And I can’t wait to go and get it,” said Morton.
Morton said the volunteers are very helpful in gathering the items and keeping the flow of distribution going.
Pantry co-cordinator Bob Whisman said he wishes a pantry like this was operating when he was growing up in Wolfe County. He said back in the sixties it was, quote, “pretty rough up here in this part of the country.” Whisman added little by little more jobs became available. Now today, although the Whismans enjoy running the pantry, Bob hopes another couple will take over the reins at some point as they did four years ago.
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