Adair County, Kentucky has been home to a few local “celebrities” since it was founded nearly 220 years ago. Among them are E.A. Diddle, former Western Kentucky University men’s basketball coach, who was born in Gradyville1,2 and Dakota Meyer, a 2011 recipient of the Medal of Honor, who was born in Columbia.1,3 But possibly the most important are those who often go unnoticed – the more than 3,000 people who struggle to put food on the table and provide for their family.
Adair County is one of the 42 counties served by our organization. According to a Feeding America study, approximately 1 in 6 people living in Adair County (16.1%) are food-insecure. This means while they might not be going completely without food, they don’t always know when or where food will come from. To help alleviate this uncertainty, there are several programs in Columbia and other parts of the county that provide a reliable, consistent source of food for these individuals and their families.
We currently have 6 partner agencies within the county:
Adair County Food Pantry
Praise Assembly of God
The Garden Church
JOY Ministries Crisis Resource Center
Columbia Housing Authority
Adair County Senior Center
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 specifically support those in the community who are more vulnerable.
Each month we provide a box of food to nearly 100 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 30 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 Adair County and all that they are doing to fight hunger in their community. But there is still a lot to be done. Together, we can work to fight hunger and ensure that everyone has the quality of life they deserve.
1 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adair_County,_Kentucky
2 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edgar_Diddle
3 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dakota_Meyer
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