As the regional food bank for 42 central, south central and western Kentucky counties, including Hardin County, Feeding America, Kentucky’s Heartland (FAKH) is prepared to work with community partners and service agencies to continue distributing food to individuals, families, and senior citizens who are especially vulnerable during the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) outbreak.
Prepacked boxes of USDA, non-perishable food items from The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) will be distributed weekly along with the BackPack bags to families with school-age children. Together with Hardin County Schools, a two-week delivery plan for the BackPack program is being coordinated, and delivery details are being worked out at this time. BackPack Program coordinators in the other counties are being contacted to also help distribute an additional box of supplemental food to their families.
Additional TEFAP food items, such as protein, dairy and fresh produce, will be distributed along with the monthly distribution of USDA Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) for those who are age 60 and over and meet low-income guidelines. The senior boxes help to supplement diets with nutritious USDA foods and the senior citizens in our counties could be more likely to isolate themselves from available food resources.
“We are closely monitoring the situation in each county to meet the needs of individuals, families, and seniors who are food insecure,” said Jamie Sizemore, FAKH Executive Director. “Our food bank and partner agencies are here to help with hunger efforts throughout the year and in times of disaster. We are working to make sure food is available at any time for our communities.”
FAKH will continue to operate as normal with safety precautions in place, and have communicated the same to their network of over 225 partner agencies, which distribute the food to the 42-county service area. Partner agencies, which work directly with the general population, will consider the possibility of hosting drive-thru food distributions or doorstep delivery to reduce or eliminate possible exposure for the client and the volunteer.
Any changes to existing food distributions in light of new developments of COVID-19 will be communicated on the organization’s website, www.feedingamericaky.org, social media, newspapers, and radio.
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