Donations benefit programs combating childhood food insecurity
In an effort to combat childhood food insecurity within its 42-county region, Feeding America, Kentucky’s Heartland (FAKH) is initiating its annual Pasta Bowl summer campaign. Every donation toward the campaign goes directly toward FAKH’s Feeding Kids efforts, funding crucial programs such as the BackPack Program, which ensures that children receive a backpack filled with food every weekend, and the School Pantry Program, which allows families to select food for their households directly at their child’s school.
The Pasta Bowl brings together two teams in a friendly competition: Team Macaroni and Team Ravioli. When making a donation, participants cast their vote for their favorite team.
The importance of the Pasta Bowl campaign is underscored by the recent release of Feeding America’s latest Map the Meal Gap report. The report reveals that 54,710 children within FAKH’s service area face food insecurity. This statistic translates to approximately 1 in 5 children within the region.
The United States Department of Agriculture defines food insecurity as the lack of access, at times, to enough food for an active, healthy life. Food insecurity is linked to various detrimental social and health consequences and is recognized as a significant concern within the realm of public health.
In this year’s report, there is a notable escalation in childhood food insecurity in FAKH’s service region compared to previous years. In the FAKH service area, last year’s study identified four counties with childhood food insecurity rates exceeding 20%. However, this year, a staggering 36 counties within FAKH’s service area report childhood food insecurity rates surpassing 20%.
In the past year, FAKH has distributed 461,066 pounds of food to area children through Feeding Kids programming.
“Childhood food insecurity is an invisible crisis that tragically affects one in five children in our region,” said Charles Dennis, Executive Director of FAKH. “Our programs, and the campaigns that support them, are beacons of hope for many struggling families. By supporting the Pasta Bowl campaign, you’re making a tangible difference in a child’s life.”
To learn more and donate to the Pasta Bowl campaign, visit: feedingamericaky.org/pastabowl.