Our programs are how we feed and nourish our communities. Below is a list of our programs that cater to various population segments across our region.
Feeding Kids
It’s a simple fact – a child’s best chance for a bright future starts with getting enough food to eat today. In our service area, 1 in 7 children face hunger. Comparatively, the average rate for children in the U.S. is 1 in 8. We have two targeted programs to combat childhood hunger: BackPacks and School Pantries.
The BackPack Program
The BackPack program addresses hunger on weekends and over school breaks during the school year. Each Friday, a bag of 12-15 non-perishable, individually-sized food items are discreetly put into the backpacks of children who do not always have enough food.
School Pantries
The School Pantry program helps to establish food pantries that are conveniently located on-site at schools for students and their families facing hunger. The school pantries complement school breakfast and lunch programs, providing access to food for children and their families after the school day has ended, over the weekends and during breaks.
Currently in its pilot phase, FAKH hopes to expand the School Pantry program to serve more communities.
Feeding Seniors
For many seniors and older adults, barriers like transportation and perceived stigma prevent them from seeking the nutritious food resources necessary to live healthy and active lifestyles.
In Kentucky, 6.9% of seniors aged 60 and older, as well as 14.6% of older adults aged 50 to 59, often have to make trade offs between food and other basic needs, such as housing and medicine. These are among the highest rates in the nation.
The Commodity Supplemental Food Program
Our network of agency partners work with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to offer the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) to qualifying seniors who are 60 years of age or older in our region. CSFP is a federally funded program that provides extra food each month to seniors living on a low income.
How to know if you qualify
If you have a combined gross income that does not exceed the maximum income limit for the applicable household sizes listed below, you qualify.
| Household Size | Household Monthly Income |
|---|---|
| 1 | $1,632 |
| 2 | $2,215 |
| 3 | $2,798 |
| 4 | $3,380 |
| 5 | $3,963 |
To learn more about our Feeding Seniors programs contact: Deborah Skala, Senior Support, RX & Pantry Programs Specialist, dskala@feedingamericaky.org
Feeding Neighbors
Hunger can affect people from all walks of life. Many Kentuckians are just one job loss, missed paycheck or medical emergency away from hunger. In fact, 1 in 8 neighbors in our service area are already food insecure.
Agency Partners
We source millions of pounds of nutritious food to our distributing centers and agency partners each year. Providing food to our network of partners is the most effective and efficient way to serve our neighbors facing hunger.
Food Rescue
40% of food in the U.S. ends up in landfills. Through our Food Rescue program, we pick up food resources that do not meet retail standards but are still safe for consumption and redistribute those resources to our neighbors through our network of agency partners. We partner with retailers like Dollar General, Food Lion, Kroger, Walmart and Sam’s Club to reduce their food waste and feed our neighbors in the Heartland.
If you are a manufacturer wanting to learn more contact Karen Fitzsimmons, Food Donations & Inventory Manager at kfitzsimmons@feedingamericaky.org
Mobile Food Pantries
Mobile Food Pantries are a direct distribution from our regional food bank to your community. Mobile Food Pantries deliver fresh foods and non-perishable staples to under-resourced communities.
Farms to Food Banks
Farms to Food Banks is a statewide program that provides fresh produce to our neighbors facing hunger by paying Kentucky farmers for produce that is unmarketable due to overproduction, size discrepancies or minor blemishes.
Serving Up Fresh
Through our Serving Up Fresh program ,we distribute fresh produce when Kentucky’s growing season ends. This program operates each year from September through May.
The Emergency Food Assistance Program
The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) is a federally funded program that helps supplement the diets of low-income individuals, families and seniors with 100% American-grown USDA foods. Monthly food distributions are held at participating sites throughout our region serving thousands of our neighbors facing hunger.
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
Our food bank assists neighbors in signing up for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). SNAP is a monthly allocation of money for individuals, families and seniors who need help purchasing food for healthy meals.
For more information about SNAP, contact Laura Fraliex, SNAP Outreach Specialist, snap@feedingamericaky.org or see if you qualify below.
Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Initiative
Our Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Initiative (EDI) is our commitment to equitable food distribution in under-resourced communities in our service area.
To learn more about our EDI Initiative contact: Micaela Ray, Child Nutrition and Equity Programs Specialist, at mray@feedingamericaky.org
Disaster Relief
Through our Disaster Relief program we collaborate with disaster relief agencies, state emergency services and our network of agency partners to provide emergency food during and after disasters.
Rx Pantry Program
The Rx Pantry program serves neighbors who screen positive for food insecurity in health care settings. The program provides on-site food and directs neighbors to additional community resources near them.
To learn more about our Rx Pantry program contact: Deborah Skala, Senior Support, RX & Pantry Programs Specialist, dskala@feedingamericaky.org