ELIZABETHTOWN, Ky. (WDRB) -- The city of Elizabethtown is coming together to make sure SNAP recipients don't go hungry during the federal government shutdown.
More than 5,000 families in Hardin County rely on SNAP benefits each month, according to Feeding America, and some of them haven't received their funds in more than a month.
So Elizabethtown leaders allocated $50,000 from a reserve fund to feed anyone needing some extra help right now. That money bought 100,000 pounds of food.
It all comes from Feeding America and will be distributed over the next few weeks. During the first of three events Friday, volunteers loaded bags of canned goods, fruits and cereal into people's cars during a thunder storm.
"Come get food," Councilwoman Julia Springsteen said. "We don't care who you are or why you're hungry."
The goal is to feed 1,000 families for about a week. Sixty-percent of the families who use SNAP benefits in Hardin County have children to feed.
"That is a really sad thing to hear," said Connie Gilmore, who was in line for the first food giveaway Friday. "I am not the only one struggling. I only get Social Security, so any assistance I can get helps a lot."
Gilmore said she intends to come back to the others.
"It's very good to know I have a place to come back to that I can get some food and not sit around on an empty stomach," she said.
It's a team effort to feed the need. Everyone from police officers and firefighters to city council members volunteered in the pouring rain.
"We didn't know it was going to rain but we don't care," Mayor Jeff Gregory said. "We're gonna make sure we get all this food distributed."
Officials said they just want anyone in need to come get food.
"There is absolutely no shame in asking for help," Springsteen said.
Elizabethtown leaders are going to hold more food giveaway events on Nov. 14 and 21. The times and locations haven't been announced yet.
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