Hunger isn’t always visible. There is no one face, no typical person, no singular demographic that faces food insecurity. Neighbors all around us, across the commonwealth and the nation, experience hunger.

Feeding America’s 2024 Map the Meal Gap research (2022 data) identified nearly 265,000 people facing food insecurity in Central and Eastern Kentucky. As defined by the US Department of Agriculture, that means hundreds of thousands of Kentuckians lack access to enough food at times for an active, healthy life.

Hunger in Kentucky

265000
people in Central and Eastern Kentucky are unsure where they'll get their next meal
1
 in 
4
children in Central and Eastern Kentucky are at risk of going hungry
7
.
7
%
of Kentucky seniors lack regular access to enough food
710000
people in Kentucky are experiencing hunger

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Understanding Hunger and Food Insecurity

Food insecurity describes a household’s inability to provide enough food for each member to live an active, healthy life. Understand more about the causes and effects of food insecurity.

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Hunger in America

Hunger in America is a series of studies that provide comprehensive demographic profiles of people seeking food assistance and an in-depth analysis of the partner agencies in the Feeding America network that provide this assistance.

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Hunger research

Research about hunger across various demographics from Feeding America.

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How you
can help

Neighbor

Support our work in the fight against hunger. Donations, volunteers, and advocates help us amplify our impact and reach more neighbors. 

Donate

Donations can have a significant impact by providing immediate support to help us purchase essential food items, maintain our operations, and reach more individuals and families in need. 

Give today

Volunteer

We rely on volunteers to help us serve our community effectively. We have various volunteer opportunities available. Recurring commitments ensure consistent support for our community.

Register

Advocate

Your voice can make a difference in local, state, and federal hunger-relief policies.  

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