FRANKFORT, Ky. - Members of the Kentucky General Assembly came together Monday to pack thousands of backpacks for children in Kentucky.

The event is a partnership with Feeding Kentucky which in 2019 they provided 72 million meals to families in need.

“In Kentucky 1 in 5 of our children live in food insecure households which means someone in the household is going without food to make sure that there is enough for everybody else." Executive Director of Feeding Kentucky Tamara Sandberg said.

The original event was organized by Kentucky Senate President Robert Stivers and House Majority Floor Leader John Carney. The event had more than 50 lawmakers and staffers helping with the event, but they still were missing one important person. 

In December Carney was admitted into the hospital for a serious case of pancreatitis. Carney was unable to attend the event but his colleagues worked together to make the event possible.

“It's been a sobering thing for this body and I think you've seen both parties and both chambers that have both have had a huge outpour for Bam” Kentucky House Speaker David Osborne said.