April 20, 2024 – REALTOR® Association of Southern Kentucky (RASK) and Feeding America, Kentucky’s Heartland (FAKH), have once again joined forces to combat hunger. Now in its 13th year, the REALTORS® Hope for Hunger event collected an impressive 520,890 servings of food which were distributed to school resource centers in seven local counties to feed students and their families.
The REALTORS® Hope for Hunger campaign, spearheaded by members of RASK in collaboration with FAKH, is a vital annual event to raise awareness and fight hunger in southern Kentucky. Among the seven counties, the breakdown of servings distributed is: Allen county received 35,515 servings, Barren county received 47,353 servings, Butler county received 23,677 servings, Edmonson county received 23,677 servings, Logan county received 59,192 servings, Simpson county received 35,515 servings, and Warren county received 295,960 servings. This year’s donations contribute to the cumulative total of nearly 6 million servings of food distributed by the REALTORS® Hope for Hunger event since its inception.
“Through the funds we raised, our REALTORS® and our community are able to assist our neighbors who might not know where their next meal will come from,” said Jenny Van Buren, REALTORS® Community Service Committee Chairperson.
“Our main goal every year is to feed more people than we did the year before,” said RASK President, Tony Vance. “In the face of ongoing economic challenges, offering hope in the face of hunger is crucial. We are grateful to be able to play a role in offering that hope to our community.”
According to the release by the USDA’s Economic Research Service, 44 million people, including 13 million children, were food insecure in 2022. Food insecurity rates have not seen these levels since the 2008 recession and food banks, like FAKH, are seeing the reality of those numbers.
“The recent USDA report underscores the importance of initiatives like the REALTORS® Hope for Hunger event,” said executive director of FAKH Charles Dennis. “Thanks to the partnership between FAKH and RASK, we are able to make a meaningful difference and keep food on the table for our neighbors.”
The 2024 REALTORS® Hope for Hunger event marks the fifth consecutive year that RASK and FAKH have worked together to feed local communities. To learn how you can support hunger relief in your community, visit: feedingamericaky.org/food-drives-and-fundraisers/.