Lexington nonprofit brings hundreds of meals directly to people in need

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Every Saturday, volunteers with Kentucky Food Ministry pack up hundreds of meals and take them directly to people across downtown Lexington.

“We’re not asking the people to come to us,” volunteer Betsy Lampe said. “We are going where they are.”

What started with feeding about 20 people has grown significantly. Lampe said the all-volunteer ministry now typically prepares between 160 and 240 meals each Saturday.

The meals are simple. Volunteers make ham and cheese sandwiches and provide items such as cookies or protein bars and water. But for some of the people they meet, the food fills a need they may not otherwise be able to afford.

After preparing the meals, volunteers walk more than two miles through downtown Lexington to distribute them.

Lampe said the people they serve are not all experiencing homelessness. Some have a place to live but are struggling to afford other necessities.

“If you give somebody a turkey and they don’t have a pot to cook it in, it doesn’t really do them any good,” Lampe said. “So not everybody is homeless, but some of them are in a situation where they can provide a home for themselves, but their budget for other things is very tight.”

As the cost of living continues to put pressure on household budgets, Kentucky Food Ministry is trying to keep up with the need. The organization is currently working to raise $20,000 to support its work.

Lampe said the ministry operates entirely on donations, with each meal costing about $1 to provide.

“So, if we’re giving out 240 meals, that’s $240 a week, and that goes by pretty fast,” she said.

But for Lampe, the Saturdays have become about more than handing someone a sandwich. Through the weekly trips downtown, she has built relationships with the people the ministry serves.

“They become like my children,” Lampe said.

For the volunteers, the goal is not only to provide a meal, but also to make sure the people they meet know someone cares.

For more information on how to donate or volunteer, click here: Kentucky Food Ministry