True stories from some of our 210 partnering agencies across the state:

"A family of five came to the office in need of food. The husband had lost his job and his wife didn't have a job. They had applied for food stamps, but it would be at least a month before the application would be processed. There was a child and one parent waiting in the car. As the food was placed in the back seat with the child, he grabbed a box of cereal and said ‘Oh mommy, I don't have to be hungry tonight.'"

"We had a 44 year old woman who was just diagnosed with a brain tumor. Her husband lost his job and her son was mentally disabled. She had no food in their home. So we have them food for four to feed them for a month. We also gave her a voucher for gasoline to get them to the doctor in Louisville, KY. The doctor plans to remove a vertebra in her neck to allow the tumor to grow and give her more time to live. The tumor is inoperable. She was so grateful for the food and prayers and encouragement we have her."

"This was our first year with the BackPack Program. The teachers and volunteers are very pleased with how this program has benefitted the children. The kids have been very vocal which shows us the need."

"We serve the mentally challenged in our community by operating a group home for 8 individuals. Many of our folks are on social security and medical cards. We do fundraising events to help support our individuals at the home. Without your services, it would be much more difficult to provide food for the home. Thank you for helping us help them."

"An 81 year old woman came in to receive food for her and her grandchildren. The grandchildren made the comment of it being her birthday. Salvation Army workers went to the back and got a pink birthday cake. The woman told them that was the first and only birthday cake she had ever had. The staff went out with their own money and bought the works to give her a party. Without Feeding America, Kentucky's Heartland, the woman would possibly never have had a cake in her lifetime."

"A young lady came to the desk and sat down and immediately started crying, saying she had recently lost her job and had two small daughters and no income. She said she had never had to apply for any type of help before. She was just devastated. We were able to help her and she was so appreciative."

"For over a year, we have aided a lady with one child. She has gotten food and clothing monthly. She came in last week and told us she had gotten a letter stating she was going to receive disability. She stated when the checks started coming, she wanted to give a tithe a percentage each month to her church and our clothes closet/food pantry."

"I work in a domestic violence shelter. We recently had a mother and four children from a rural area who had been 3 days without food. They hid out in the woods but were finally able to get out to us. Our shelter stays full of women and children and we feed them 3 meals a day. They are homeless and we allow them to stay and help them find a home and means to obtain food.