Feeding the Need

BY TINA V. BRYSON

A dream of Christian Appalachian Project’s (CAP) Grateful Bread Food Pantry was realized in February during the ribbon cutting of a new facility that would help provide more quality services to hungry people in Appalachia.

“This food pantry expansion is a part of helping us serve more and serve better,” said CAP President/CEO Guy Adams. “Our staff are committed to having the greatest impact in the communities we serve. Every day, our employees and volunteers serve communities struggling with the impacts of poverty.”

In 2007, Grateful Bread Food Pantry began serving children, their families, and seniors in need throughout the community. The mission of the pantry is to reduce physical and spiritual hunger in Rockcastle County.

The pantry’s new facility is more than double the size of the former facility, at 4,620 square feet, and includes twice as many parking spaces and a three-door cooler in the shopping area to enhance the shopping experience for families. A drive-thru was added to help traffic flow and to provide shelter for shoppers during inclement weather.

“We are excited about this new, larger facility, but more importantly, we want to make sure that participants continue to have a wonderful experience at the pantry with staff who truly care about them and their personal needs,” said Carolyn Lindsey, director of CAP’s human services programming in Rockcastle, Jackson, and McCreary Counties. “Whether it be their need for food, prayer, or just someone to talk to, we want to be there.”

Grateful Bread Food Pantry serves around 800 families each month, in addition to nearly 200 seniors through the USDA Commodities program. The pantry also prepares 142 weekend food backpacks each week (568 food backpacks a month) for local students who may not have enough to eat at home when they are not receiving free or reduced lunch at school.

“This organization already has a huge impact, but this new pantry will help even more of our Kentucky families,” said Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, who attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the pantry. “You’re living out our Team Kentucky values, helping your neighbors, taking care of each other, and getting through the hard times together so we can get to the good times together.”

After the ceremony, Beshear joined students from Rockcastle County High School in packing food backpacks for local school students. Rockcastle County Schools Superintendent Carrie Ballinger and God’s Pantry President/CEO Mike Halligan also helped.

Through a longstanding partnership between CAP and the school system, Rockcastle County students have modeled compassionate community service for more than 10 years. Since 2021, students from Lexington Christian Academy in Lexington have also partnered with CAP to participate in community service and help fight hunger and feed hope in Rockcastle County.

“We are grateful for the generosity of CAP donors, partners, and the many supporters who have prayed for this expansion to continue to give hope to many more children and their families, seniors, and individuals with disabilities,” Adams said. “This day is a blessing. Thank you all for being a part.”