LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — God’s Pantry Food Bank will be able to provide thousands more meals for Kentucky kids, thanks to a $25,000 donation from Molina Healthcare.
The donation comes during a time of financial uncertainty for many families, and kids are the ones who will benefit most from the money, according to God’s Pantry employees.
That’s because it’s for the school-based pantry program, which operates seven locations across Kentucky:
- Three schools in Fayette County (Bryan Station High School, Leestown Middle School, and MLK Jr. Academy)
- Bath County
- Elliott County
- Nicholas County
- Robertson County
God’s Pantry says the $25,000 could potentially mean hundreds of thousands of meals, a necessary service amid worsening inflation.
The Consumer Price Index reports in the south, the price of dairy is up nearly 5% from February 2021. Fruits and vegetables are up 6%, and the cost of meat and eggs has risen an average of almost 13%.
“Our numbers are starting to go up due to inflation,” God’s Pantry’s Danielle Bozarth said. “Food is more expensive. Gas is more expensive.”
They’ve seen this before, as the pandemic strained families’ budgets and revealed the value of accessible, nutritious, and affordable food.
“In some of these counties where our pantries are based, there is little to no other food pantry system in place there,” Bozarth said. “These school pantries are just really important to our students and their families.”
In February, God's Pantry says 330 households across the Commonwealth utilized their school-based pantry program.
