A family which once visited the Glasgow area said they “took home a feeling that you can’t get anywhere else.”1 With comments like this, it’s no wonder why Barren County was named the “Best Place to Live in Rural America” by Progressive Farmer magazine in 2007.2 There’s so much to love here – Mammoth Cave, Barren River, even the Glasgow Highland Games. But even in a place full of praise and achievements, there are challenges facing the local community. One of those challenges is hunger.
Barren County is one of the 42 counties served by our organization. According to a Feeding America study, approximately 1 in 7 people living in Barren County (15.1%) are food-insecure. This means while they might not be going completely without food, they don’t always know when or where that food will come from. To help alleviate this uncertainty, we operate several programs in Glasgow and other parts of the county, to provide a reliable, consistent source of food for these individuals and their families.
We currently have 8 partner agencies within the county:
Barren Boys and Girls Club
Coral Hill Baptist
First United Methodist Church
Glasgow 1st Church of Nazarene
Housing Authority of Glasgow
Pathfinders
St. Helen’s Church
The Lighthouse at Cave City
Through these partnerships, we are not only able to help individuals and families fill their pantries and tables with various food items, but also have programs which support those in the community who are more vulnerable.
Each month we provide a box of food to over 250 seniors through the CSFP Program. This government commodities program helps support those who are 60 and older and struggle to meet all of their own needs, usually because of a limited income. In addition, the BackPack Program provides weekend food to almost 150 students, who often rely on the school meals they receive during the week as a main source of nourishment.
We are incredibly grateful for our partner agencies in Barren County and all they do to fight hunger in their community. But there is still a lot to be done. Together, we can work to fight hunger and ensure everyone has the quality of life they deserve.
1 https://visitglasgowbarrenky.com/
2 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barren_County,_Kentucky
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