First Presbyterian Church

FOOD INSECURITY = HUNGER 

 

"For I was hungry and you fed me."

 

We use the term food insecurity a lot. What is food insecurity? To put it in simple terms, this refers to hunger. Do you have enough food each month to feed your family? Are you forced to skip a meal? Do you always know if you will have food for dinner tonight? Not knowing if there will be food in the house can be traumatizing, especially for children. In Kentucky, almost 20% of all children are food insecure (hungry) daily.

 

Based on current studies conducted by Feeding Kentucky in partnership with IQS Research and funded by the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, food insecurity (hunger) is an issue that affects all generations and areas of Kentucky.

 

Laurel County is in the Cumberland Valley region for this study, and from the findings, two out of every three households have reported skipping meals because of the lack of adequate food. For those families who receive SNAP benefits, nearly 85% have reported that their benefits do not last all month. On top of that, almost half of our neighbors have to decide whether to pay for medicine or food.

 

While SNAP benefits are available to all Kentuckians as needed, many have not applied. There are multiple reasons for this; however, it is mainly due to their belief that they would not qualify or that it is too difficult to apply. For those who do receive SNAP, more than 60% say the benefits last less than 3 weeks each month. With the rising cost of food and other expenses, this will only increase over time.

 

Another issue facing many in our area is the lack of nutritious food. Many items that would be nutritious, such as fruits and vegetables, are more expensive per serving, forcing families to rely on high-carbohydrate and ultra-processed foods to feed their families. The long-term results of this are higher rates of obesity, heart disease, and other health issues.

 

Along with the physical health implications of hunger, there is a psychological aspect. Over 30% of all households have reported feeling depressed or hopeless for several days each month. The dual effects of hunger and wondering whether to pay bills or buy food can cause anxiety. Children who are caught in this cycle of hunger often experience the same symptoms, but for them, the toll of hunger and the psychological effects will have long-term consequences for their development that will last a lifetime.

 

Here, at the First Presbyterian Church, we strive to help our neighbors by providing some nutritious food each month. Each Wednesday from 10:00 to 12:00, we open our food pantry to any person living in Laurel County, regardless of need. To provide as much food as possible to as many families as we can, we do limit it to those who live in Laurel County and also allow them to visit once a month. Currently, we have over 1400 families registered. Some families come each month, while others may come only a few times a year. Each month, we serve approximately 600 families, and each month, we have about 100 new families coming to the pantry.