LEE COUNTY, Ky. (LEX 18) — Just months after opening, Red River Gorge Coffee Co. in Lee County is already finding ways to give back to the community through a weekly food sharing initiative.
Anna Moore, the owner of Beattyville's newest coffee shop, has been overwhelmed by the community's support since opening.
"Right off the bat we got regulars, people coming in every day. It really is comforting," Moore said.
That community support inspired Moore to start leaving a cooler full of unsold food outside her shop every Monday afternoon after closing, from 2 to 3 p.m. The fresh food is free for anyone in need to take.
"Knowing there are people going hungry, throwing away food was never an option. I was like, we gotta give it to people," Moore said.
The cooler will contain baked goods, plus healthy items like her mom's chicken salad, pasta salad cups, and fruit cups.
Moore, a young mother herself, says she's glad to be able to feed people in her hometown, especially during nationwide uncertainty over the future of SNAP benefits.
"We didn't even make the connection at first but when we did, I thought what a better time than when people are going to be in extra need," Moore said.
And she says there's no shame in needing help. It's a lesson she's learned as a first-time business owner.
"There's nothing wrong with it if you need help. We all need help in certain ways," Moore said.
Red River Gorge Coffee Co. is located in the same building as the Three Rivers Inn on KY-11 N.
