BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — The COVID-19 pandemic is nearing its first anniversary, and for families who need help, food distribution is still happening.

The Salvation Army of Bowling Green and United Way of Southern Kentucky are two of the groups still working to provide help despite different circumstances. 

"Since COVID[-19] has hit, we had to reevaluate how we are going to best serve the community," said Heather Ryan, the Salvation Army residential manager. "So now we have been doing two major food distributions twice a month where clients just come up or the community just drives up in the vehicles, and we have the boxes and the meat and everything ready."

The idea that families would still need food a year later was unpredictable, and staying stocked with food has been a serious group effort. 

"Thousands of people each month are served through our mobile food distributions," said Ellie Harbaugh, Vice President of the United Way of Southern Kentucky. "We are working with Feeding America and Warren County Parks and Rec, and we’ve done a lot of different things over this last year to try and meet that food insecurity."

The Salvation Army will hold a food distribution Thursday at 9 a.m. CT, and with donations from United Way, among others, these services can continue to operate.