Tackling Hunger in Clinton County: How FAKH is Making a Difference

February 21, 2017 – According to one website, Clinton County, Kentucky is described as “196 square miles of scenic farmland, mountains for hiking, and lakes to enjoy.”¹  Nestled between Lake Cumberland and Dale Hollow Lake on the Tennessee border, Clinton County embodies the life of “small town USA” in many ways: people are friendly, life runs at a slower pace, and the County Judge Executive’s door is always open. But despite all of this, Clinton County also experiences a problem that faces other counties across the state and across the nation:  Hunger.

Clinton County is one of the 42 counties served by our organization.  According to a Feeding America study, approximately 1 in 6 people living in Clinton County (17.1%) are food-insecure.  This means that 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 Albany and other parts of the county to provide a reliable, consistent source of food for these individuals and their families.

We currently have 3 partner agencies within the county. Through these partnerships, we are not only able to help individuals and families fill their pantries and tables with various food items, but we also have programs that support those in the community who are more vulnerable.

Each month we provide a box of food to more than 80 seniors through the CSFP Program.  This government commodities program helps support those who are 60 and older that struggle to meet all of their own needs, usually because of a limited income.  In addition, the BackPack Program provides weekend food to over 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 Clinton County and all that they are doing to fight hunger in their community.  But there is still a lot to be done.  We want to make Clinton County not only a place where “the mountains meet the lakes”² but also where the “support meets the need”.  With your help, we know we can make that happen!