As with any emergency, the National Guard is stepping in to make a difference. Soldiers will be at five locations over the next two weeks, packing food boxes to feed more than 250,000 Kentuckians. Lt. Robert Moore, the officer in charge of the 149th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade said “It’s just an honor to serve our community and the Commonwealth of Kentucky. We as Guardsmen signed up to help in a time of need and we are proud to be doing that today.”
God’s Pantry Food Bank CEO Michael Halligan said the help couldn’t come at a more critical time. Most of the Pantry’s volunteers are over 60 which is a high risk category and the requests for help with food are overflowing. “What we have seen over the past couple of weeks is about a 35% increase in food insecurity across Central and Eastern Kentucky. Our service area is about 50 counties. We have seen counties on a given day that have seen as much as an 80% increase in food insecurity and need.”
Halligan said the food boxes will be shipped to over 400 meal programs that distribute food in Central and Eastern Kentucky. If you can donate to the food program, log on to http://www.godspantryfoodbank.org