Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner gives refrigerators to Kentucky food pantries

Helping Kentucky food pantries supply Kentuckians in need.

Today, Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles delivered refrigerators to five food pantries in as many counties in eastern Kentucky.

"Having adequate refrigeration will improve the distribution and the amount of volume of that amount of meals being donated each year," said Quarles.

1 in 6 Kentuckians and 1 in 5 Kentucky school children are what officials call food insecure.

165 refrigerators donated by Farm Credit Mid-America, and CoBank, will supply at least one refrigeration unit for a food pantry in every Kentucky county.

This initiative will help provide food banks that at points didn’t have the ability to preserve proteins and perishable items an avenue to store foods safely.

"Everyone is so thankful for this generous donation, but it also re-emphasizes the need for refrigeration. Every place we have been today has told us stories about how they have to refuse donations because they simply did not have enough freezer space to keep that food safely stored," said Quarles.

In their third stop, Quarles and his team provided a refrigeration unit to the New Salem Baptist Church Food Pantry in London.

"It's such a blessing for us to be able to receive a refrigerator to be able to put additional items to help subsidize families that are in need and there’s such a need in our community," said Greg Deaton the Senior Pastor at New Salem Baptist Church.

New Salem provides close to 600 families a month with food items. The donation they received today will now allow them to store more food in a safe manner so they can then give it to the young children, all the way to the elderly they serve on a monthly basis.

"It’s just a god send to us and we just count it as a blessing," said Deaton.

If you or someone you know would like to donate to the New Salem Baptist Church Food Pantry, you may contact the church office or stop by with your donation. If you would like to help the Agriculture Commissioner in his hunger initiative you can visit the link above for more information.