LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Hunger is a worldwide issue, but it’s also an issue right here in Jefferson County. With the added problems caused by the coronavirus pandemic, thousands of local families will struggle with hunger this winter. If you can, there are ways that you can help meet some of those needs through Dare to Care.
“We’ve got a lot of people unemployed due to the pandemic and resources are stretched,” Annette Ball with Dare to Care said. “As the cold weather approaches and heating bills rise, it becomes more daunting.”
In Jefferson County alone, more than 120,000 people don’t have the food they need in order to live a healthy life, according to Dare to Care. That's nearly 16% of people living in the county.
While the organization works with school districts like Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) to help bridge the gap for kids, that only does so much.
“If you’ve got a household where people have had to cut down on their hours or have lost their jobs completely, it’s going to take a lot more resources than providing the meal the child missed while they were at school,” Ball said.
If you want to help families in the Louisville area, there are two primary opportunities available through Dare to Care.
The first is volunteering at a food pantry or kitchen pantry. Ball said the organization has put protocols in place to protect against COVID-19, but if you are considered high-risk, you may want to hold off on in-person volunteering right now.
Ball said a safe and easy way to help solve the problem of hunger in Louisville is through donating online.
“Even a dollar makes a difference,” she said. Ball said Dare to Care can provide three meals for every dollar donated to the food bank. According to the website, the organization provided more than 10 million meals to Jefferson County families in 2018.
Visit DareToCare.org to donate or learn more about volunteer opportunities in your area.
If you are in need of food, you can view a map of Dare to Care locations and their operating hours here. Most sites are open, but many are implementing a drive-thru service due to the pandemic. You can also call 502-966-3821 for more information on local resources.
Dare to Care also helps families in Bullitt, Oldham and Shelby County in Kentucky as well as several counties in southern Indiana including Floyd and Clark.
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