ELIZABETHTOWN, Ky. — The latest “Map the Meal Gap” data from Feeding America shows that 152,230 people in Feeding America, Kentucky’s Heartland’s (FAKH) 42-county service area were food insecure in 2020.
Executive Director of FAKH, Jamie Sizemore, said the data is an important tool for the organization.
“The Map the Meal Gap study is one indicator we use when planning our programs and allocating resources,” she said.
While the overall food insecurity rate in Ohio County is close to 14 percent, or one in seven, the numbers of food-insecure residents in Black and Hispanic populations are even greater.
In recent years, FAKH has placed an enhanced emphasis on reaching under-resourced minority communities.
“These numbers reinforce the need for equitable food distribution in our area,” Sizemore said.
In 2021, FAKH launched its first Equity, Diversity and Inclusion program which focused on reaching under-resourced Hispanic neighbors prompting culturally appropriate food distributions in Hardin, Ohio, Nelson, Taylor and Warren counties.
Other key findings of the study include:
- Overall food insecurity in the FAKH service area ranges from 10 percent in Nelson County up to 17.8 percent in Barren County.
- A total of 609,805 pounds of food was distributed through FAKH in Ohio County in FY 2021 providing enough food for 508,171 meals.
- Nearly 5 percent of individuals facing food insecurity in Ohio County do not qualify for SNAP or other government assistance programs.
- In Ohio County, the child food insecurity rate is 18.1 percent, with a total of 1,070 children facing hunger.
With the expiration of many pandemic-era food assistance programs along with the current high rate of inflation and grocery prices, more and more people are facing food insecurity even today.
“Every year, we feed nearly a quarter of a million people,” said Sizemore. “But that work cannot be done without help from our partner agencies throughout our service area.”
To support FAKH and local people facing hunger, consider making a financial donation at www.feedingamericaky.org, donate your time by volunteering, or advocate for more federal and state assistance.