Latest funding boosts the “Serving Up Fresh” program, ensuring access to fresh, nutritious food for local families; total donations exceed $1.1M since 2019
Dec. 14, 2023 – Feeding America, Kentucky’s Heartland (FAKH) today announced a significant pledge from Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Medicare in Kentucky. This generous commitment of $466,200 will extend their support of the “Serving Up Fresh” program through 2026, ensuring continued delivery of fresh, nutritious food to those in need across 42 Kentucky counties.
Since its launch in 2019 with Anthem’s financial support, the “Serving Up Fresh” program has worked tirelessly to combat food insecurity, distributing nearly 3 million pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables to Kentucky families. With this latest contribution, Anthem’s tool investment in FAKH to sustain this program has reached $1,129,200.
The announcement of this commitment was made during a food distribution event at St. John the Apostle Catholic Church in Brandenburg on Dec. 14. With the assistance of volunteers from Anthem and FAKH, over 500 individuals and families received fresh produce and pantry items, ensuring they could enjoy wholesome meals during the holiday season.
“Our partnership with Feeding America, Kentucky’s Heartland is a vital component of our mission to alleviate hunger and lessen food insecurity among our community members. It ensures they have access to the food vital for leading healthier lives,” said Dave Mull, Regional Vice President, Medicare Performance, East Central Region, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield. “This latest contribution exemplifies our unwavering commitment to partners who are leading innovations in providing healthy, nutritious food to those people who need it most.”
According to recent USDA data, the U.S. is witnessing the largest surge in food insecurity since the 2008 recession, affecting more than 44% of children and 31% of adults nationwide.
“We are greatly appreciative of Anthem’s support in providing nutritious meals to those in need,” said FAKH Executive Director Jamie Sizemore. “The continuation of this partnership is not only a beacon of hope for our neighbors but also a step toward healthier lives for people in our region facing hunger.”
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About Feeding America, Kentucky’s Heartland
Feeding America, Kentucky’s Heartland gathers and distributed food in 42 Kentucky counties to feed our neighbors through local community partnerships. Since our establishment in 1982, we have distributed more than 336 million pounds of food and grocery items throughout central, south central, and western Kentucky – which equates to approximately 280 million meals. Our vision is to provide equitable access to nutritious food, so no one will go hungry and FAKH strives every day to make that vision a reality. For more information, visit www.feedingamericaky.org or find us on Facebook.
About Anthem Medicare:
Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield is the trade name of Anthem Health Plans of Kentucky, an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. ANTHEM is a registered trademark of Anthem Insurance Companies, Inc. The Blue Cross and Blue Shield names and symbols are registered marks of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. Additional information about Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Kentucky is available at www.anthem.com. Also, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/anthemBCBS and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AnthemBlueCrossBlueShield.