(LEX 18) — Hunger Free KY Day is January 26, 2022.
Kentuckians are uniting to raise awareness about hunger in our state and what can be done to make sure everyone has enough to eat.
The virtual "Rally to Solve Hunger" event kicks off at 11 a.m. Wednesday.
The event features Feeding Kentucky representatives, including Gov. Beshear and Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles, along with other speakers.
The goal is to raise awareness about hunger in the commonwealth.
To register for Wednesday's virtual rally, visit feedingkentucky.org.
Feeding America estimates nearly 700,000 Kentuckians go hungry and close to 180,000 of them are children. This means one in every seven Kentuckians faces hunger and one in six children doesn't have enough access to food for a healthy, active lifestyle.
67% of households that receive assistance from Kentucky food banks report that they've had to choose being paying for utilities for paying for food. 1/3 said that they make this choice every month.
Meanwhile 91% of impacted households said they bought the cheapest food available even if they knew it wasn't the healthiest so they could provide food for the whole family.
These are the statistics that Feeding Kentucky wants to change.
Kentucky ranks 9th in the country when it comes to food insecurity. Hunger hits rural communities really hard especially eastern Kentucky. In Harlan, Leslie, and Breathitt counties, more than a quarter of people don't have enough to eat.
For more information about Hunger Free KY Day or Feeding Kentucky, click here.
