Kroger donates 40,000 pounds of chicken; Southeast Christian Church delivers it to those in need

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Although churches across Kentucky are closed to in-person worship during the novel coronavirus pandemic, their mission to help others has not ended.

Several volunteers and workers showed up at Southeast Christian Church's Blankenbaker Parkway campus on Sunday morning to unload 40,000 pounds of chicken donated by Kroger. The truckloads of meat will be distributed to homeless shelters and food pantries in Kentuckiana.

Jay Schroder, who works at Southeast Christian, said a Kroger representative called him a few days ago with the idea. Since then, he's been working out the logistics of how and when to pick up the pallets of donated chicken, which he said would have been cooked in Kroger delis, otherwise.

"I'm guessing they have an overage," Schroder said, "because less people are buying from the deli right now, and they knew there was a greater need in the community than normal because there's so many people without jobs.

"... This is 20 pallets," he added, pointing at a semitruck in the church parking lot. "Each pallet has 42 cases of chicken, and each case — if I'm correct — has 43 pounds of chicken in it."

In total, that's 40,000 pounds of chicken going to people in need.

"We know this is a really stressful, anxious time for everybody," Schroder said. "Everybody's world is totally changed.

"I'm sure Kroger is trying to be as generous and possible and we're working with our partners, many of them nonprofits," he added. "They have reduced funding right now because a lot of people are less able to give."

Volunteers and workers with Southeast Christian plan to drop off the donated chicken at more than 10 locations, including: Isiah's House, Hope Southern Indiana, Catalyst Rescue Mission, HighPoint in Oldham County, Prodigal Ministries and Re:Center Ministries.

Schroder said several of the nonprofits he works closely with aren't receiving the resources they usually get right now because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We're hoping that being able to offer food, like these huge cases of chicken, will help take some of that pressure off this week," he said.

If you're looking for ways to help others during the COVID-19 outbreak, Schroder said you can text the word RESPOND to 733733, and Southeast Christian will provide volunteer opportunities.