State Representatives Myron Dossett of Pembroke and Walker Thomas of Hopkinsville are commending efforts by the Commonwealth, in partnership with anti-hunger organizations, to tackle the hunger epidemic ahead of a visit to Hopkinsville by Feeding America on Saturday. Statistics show more than one in six Kentuckians are battling food insecurity.
Feeding America, a nonprofit network of more than 200 food banks nationwide, will be distributing food to approximately 500 households from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the state-funded Farms to Food Banks program. The event will be hosted by the Aaron McNeil House at the Hopkinsville Boys and Girls Club on Walnut Street at 9:00 Saturday morning.
Dossett, who represents parts of Christian and Hopkins County, says he is proud to be a strong supporter of our food banks and it is an honor to welcome an organization dedicated to fighting hunger to western Kentucky.
Dossett is the co-chair of the Tobacco Settlement Oversight Committee in Frankfort which oversees the over $100 million in payments annually from the Master Settlement Agreement, including $1 million in the current budget for “Farms to Food Banks”, a statewide program aimed at distributing fresh produce to hungry Kentuckians.
Thomas, who serves on the House Agriculture Committee, says he’s excited to welcome the good folks from the Association of Food Banks to Hopkinsville so that the community can learn about their efforts to provide fresh produce to those in need. He also thanked the General Assembly’s action to allocate money in the budget for this program, along with the work of Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles and private organizations in tackling the hunger epidemic in a real and meaningful way.
