When the federal government shutdown on October 1, 2025, Feeding America, Kentucky’s Heartland was flooded with questions but one thing was clear- we were going to do our best to feed our neighbors.
Who was affected:
FAKH serves 200+ agency partners in 42 counties to provide food for neighbors fighting food insecurity. Before the government shutdown, we knew 188,170 people in central and west Kentucky were already facing hunger. The shutdown meant providing services for neighbors that don’t usually need them like;
- Military members whose pay was delayed
- Federal employees suddenly furloughed
As the shutdown continued, our concerns grew about SNAP.
- In Kentucky, about 598,000 individuals receive SNAP benefits, including
- 23,512 veterans
- 92,000 seniors
- 61,000 adults with disabilities
- 260,000 children
- In Kentucky’s Heartland, an estimated 234,000 neighbors are receiving SNAP benefits. Based on state proportions, that meant roughly:
- 101,790 children
- 36,036 seniors
- 9,126 veterans
- 23,868 are adults with disabilities
The impact:
- For every 1 meal we provide, SNAP provides 9 meals.
- Retail analysts estimated an $8 billion revenue shortfall for the grocery industry nationwide if benefits weren’t issued; a shock that hits rural regions and smaller local grocers the hardest.
- Kentucky spends about $23.1 million per month on SNAP benefits in our 42-county service area. FAKH’s entire annual operating budget is $5.3 million.
In October, more than 57,600 households across our service area lost benefits, and they turned to us and our partners almost overnight. That gap far exceeded what food banks were ever built to cover- but that didn’t stop us.
What we did about it:
As a sustainable food bank, FAKH uses multiple sources:
- We confirmed our deliveries from the USDA.
- We leaned heavily into food rescue and community drives to keep shelves stocked.
- We purchased more than $1.2 million in additional food to distribute across our network.
- Worked with Feeding Kentucky to advocate for emergency support. Here’s a recap of when Lt. Gov. Coleman announced emergency funding for our area.
From those sources, we fed as many as we could:
- We held emergency mobile food distributions for furloughed federal workers and military families.
- We used the emergency funds from Kentucky to enable food pantries to receive more food. Here’s a report on our response from Bowling Green Daily News.
- We collaborated with the City of Elizabethtown to provide three weeks of 1,000-housebold distributions. Here’s a report on the distributions from WDRB.
The government has reopened, but the crisis is not over. Funding is down, the safety net is shrinking, and high grocery prices are making it harder for families to keep food on the table. Here’s how you can help:
Donate: Each dollar raised means eight meals for our neighbors.
Volunteer: Join our community of volunteers who pack senior boxes and backpacks!
Advocate: Speak up for your community and the importance of providing nutrition to everyone.