WOLFE COUNTY, Ky. (WYMT) – Two well-known organizations are teaming up to feed more underserved areas in the region with a mobile food pantry.
Officials with Anthem and God’s Pantry Food Bank met at the Hazel Green Volunteer Fire Department in Wolfe County on Friday to announce the initiative.
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As part of the agreement, Anthem will provide $200,000 of funding each year to God’s Pantry through 2026.
The goal of the program is to bring food to more rural areas to maximize food distribution to those who need it and may not be able to get to bigger locations.
“We’re really just excited about our partnership with God’s Pantry. We started this in 2020 and food insecurity is such a critical thing in our communities and here in Kentucky and being able to support that and partner with someone like the pantry really goes a long way,” Anthem Vice President of Medicare Dave Mull explained.
God’s Pantry Food Bank Vice President of Mission Delivery, Danielle Bozarth, said it will help them serve folks with transportation barriers.
“In Eastern Kentucky, it’s so spread out and transportation is one of the things that, as we travel, is one of things we hear that there needs to be more transportation, better transportation. So, that’s why we have to meet people where they are,” she said.
President of the Hazel Green Food Project, Nicky Stacy, said this will always be a need for folks in the community dealing with inflation.
“It doesn’t matter how hard you work, how many times you go, it’s still not enough because there’s always need and until we can get other food pantries to serve everybody, I don’t see our line going down. I just see it keep growing,” she explained. ”Covid went away, but the food prices stayed the same. So, we’re having families reach out daily just wanting help with the basic necessities.”
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