Ariel Perkins

Food for Today. Support for Tomorrow.

“There’s a lot of people, including myself, who don’t have nothing to eat at the refrigerator. So, we are suffering. And I mean a whole lot.”

Every Tuesday, Simone Hicks visits the Food Pantry and depends on it to feed her family. She’s not alone. Across Louisville and throughout Kentucky, more families are struggling to put food on the table.

A recent study from the USDA ranked Kentucky as the second-highest food-insecure state in the nation, with nearly one in five households affected. We see the impact every day on our Special Works Campus and across the community we serve.

The need continues to grow. Compared to last fiscal year, we are serving nearly 300 more households every month in our Food Pantry. In July, we served 14,500 people at the Open Hand Kitchen, marking an almost 30% increase from June. While demand continues to rise, food donations have declined, creating an even greater need for community support.

That’s why, this year on Give for Good Louisville Day, we’re placing a special focus on one of the most basic human needs: food. A vital part of our mission is to feed those in need.

When families worry about where their next meal will come from, everything else becomes more difficult. Someone once said, “A hungry man can’t see right or wrong. He just sees food.” It’s hard to think about anything when you’re hungry. Food insecurity touches so many facets of our lives—our physical health, energy level, grades at school, ability to compete in athletics or clubs, work ethic, and even our mood.

On September 10, we invite you to partner with us through your financial generosity to help ensure our neighbors have access to meals and groceries. September is Hunger Action Month, making it the perfect time to shine a light on the life-changing work happening every day through our Food Pantry and Open Hand Kitchen. This Give for Good, you can help make sure hunger is one less thing our neighbors have to face.

Together, we can help feed those in need.