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$40,000 Grant Will Help Feed Kentucky's Children

Kentucky’s Governor and First Lady are making it their mission to make sure no child in the Bluegrass state goes hungry this summer.

At the front of the lunch line set up at the Valley Branch of the Lexington Public Library, Henry, a volunteer with God’s Pantry hands out hot lunches to dozens of kids...piping hot pizza, veggies, salad, fruit and milk or juice and with smiles on their faces sat at tables with family and friends.  It looked like a typical lunch.  But what so many of us take for granted was a blessing for children that rely on free and reduced meals during the school year.  The gratitude of their parents broke through any language barrier, one saying thank you and very good in Spanish. 

One mom from Georgetown brought her four children, three of them are in school, and tried to hold back tears as she told WUKY they would have gone without lunch today if it weren’t for the Summer Food Service Program.  “During the summer you never know where it’s going to come from.  So it’s nice to know that the state is here to support moms.”And the state is providing even more support.  On Tuesday the Governor and First Lady Jane Beshear announced $40,000 in funding to the Kentucky Association of Food Banks to increase the number of low-income children who are able to get free meals in the summer.  Half of the money came from a private grant and the rest from the State Planning Fund. 

It’s estimated that more than 11,000 kids in Fayette County alone don’t have enough to eat.