SCOTT COUNTY — Residents in one Kentucky county are doing their part to tackle hunger.
They're participating in the Farmers to Families program, which allows farmers to sell surplus products which will then be given to families in need.
Run by the United States Department of Agriculture, the program is making an impact in the Blugrass State. The AMEN House in Scott County, with the help of volunteers, packaged and distributed over 1,200 boxes of food.
"It really is a free distribution. No questions asked. If you need food, honestly, if you're just curious and want to come see what the US government is providing, you can have a box, too," said Michele Carslile, director of the AMEN House. "The box is full. It's crammed packed with meat and dairy. There’re vegetables, I think I saw apples and potatoes. There's yogurt. Milk. Salisbury steaks, I think I saw in there. It's just a crammed box, full of really good food."
The volunteers included JAG Kentucky students from the Phoenix Horizon Community School, packaging love and friendship for their neighbors along with the food.
"I sent out the question of, 'What community service would you all like to do this year?' I cried because it all came back, almost every single kid said, 'I want to help feed people. I want to help with COVID. I want to help the people that are unemployed that need food. I need to help others,'" said Angela Morris.
Helping others in need is the core mission of The Amen House. Carlisle says they couldn't do what they do without the support of their neighbors.
"The AMEN House could not do what we do every single day without the support as Scott County believing in us, whether that's you drop off a food donation, or you drop a check in the mail to us. All of those pieces come together, and we are truly able to say that no one should be hungry here," she said.
By the weekend, The AMEN House hope to package and distribute 1,600 boxes of food.