‘Power Up the Pantry’ to restock food pantries Friday

HAZARD, Ky. (WTVQ) – One in six people in Kentucky struggles with hunger and are unsure where their next meal will come from, according to God’s Pantry Food Bank.

That’s why Kentucky Power partnered with other businesses, community colleges, local governments and nonprofit groups for a daylong event to restock depleted food pantries in eastern Kentucky called ‘Power Up the Pantry.’

People are encouraged to donate food, baby supplies as well as money on Friday, April 5, from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

There are two donation sites:  ARH Medical Mall parking lot, Black Gold Boulevard in Hazard; and Big Sandy Community & Technical College Science Center parking lot on Bert Combs Drive in Prestonsburg.

Donations in Prestonsburg will go to God’s Pantry, which operates distribution centers in Prestonsburg and London that serve hundreds of food pantries in eastern Kentucky.

Hazard donations will go to New Hope Church Emergency Food Pantry, which also is served by God’s Pantry.

The Prestonsburg warehouse serves Pike, Floyd, Johnson, Lawrence, Magoffin, Letcher and Martin counties.  The warehouse stores orders until local agencies can pick them up for distribution and has fresh produce delivered to agencies to access.

God’s Pantry also operates a warehouse in London that serves Perry and other counties in southeastern Kentucky.

Last fiscal year, God’s Pantry supplied 34.5 million pounds of food and 13.6 million pounds of fresh produce to more than 400 food pantries and meal programs in central and eastern Kentucky.