LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) – Economic fallout from the pandemic has increased food insecurity in Lexington. City officials say community partners are working to help by providing food to those in need through Nourish Lexington.

Two of those partners, FoodChain and Glean Kentucky, have now mapped sites offering immediate resources where people can access pantry items or hot meals without providing any documentation, or going through any screening process. The map is available HERE and will be updated as needed, according to city officials.

“The partners behind Nourish Lexington have done an incredible job, feeding some 130,000 meals between April and August,” Mayor Linda Gorton said. “They have fed everyone from children who aren’t in school, to senior citizens. This map is a big step forward.”

The goal is to make it easy for families to access the food they need. “Through our work delivering produce to local feeding agencies, Glean Kentucky is very aware of the complex web of services that can overwhelm those looking for immediate help,” said Stephanie Wooten, Executive Director, Glean Kentucky. “We were excited to work on a project that sheds light on the resources available to people looking for immediate access to food during the pandemic.”

“As the pandemic has forced us all to adapt to new processes and ways to address need, FoodChain has been focused on how our agency can forge together resources of local ingredients, food service professionals, and those struggling with food insecurity,” said Becca Self, Executive Director of FoodChain. “To do that most effectively, we realized in conversations with so many different sectors, that we need to know where resources are available so that we can work to identify and eliminate gaps in service. We hope this map will help to effectively communicate to the community where meals can be accessed, while also pushing forth new opportunities and offerings in areas that need additional support.”

The city has contributed just over $500,000 in federal funds for food insecurity issues to various agencies.

Partners in Nourish Lexington include FoodChain, VisitLex, Keeneland, Glean Kentucky, the Murry Family Foundation, and many others.