Food insecurity across Kentuckiana has increased by more than 30%, Louisville nonprofit says

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Food insecurity is increasing rapidly, and it's growing by more than 30% across Kentuckiana.

That means more people don't have enough to eat or know where their next meal will come from.

"There truly is more need, I think, than most people are aware of," Shane Schlatter, the executive director of Exodus Family Ministries, said.

Exodus Family Ministries, located in Valley Station, is a food pantry providing food to families on the weekends. It also has a drop-off service for people who do not have transportation.

"We're seeing some families and seeing some individuals that have never had to ask for help," Schlatter said. "They've never had to receive help in their life."

In April 2023, the ministries served less than 800 people. In April 2024, it served nearly 1,600 people.

"We come across seniors that have literally been taking a can of vegetable soup and adding water and using it to eat on for an entire week," Schlatter said.

According to Dare to Care Food Bank, Feeding America's annual Map the Meal Gap study shows more than 126,000 people are food insecure in the area, including more than 55,000 children.

"That tears me apart," Dare to Care President and CEO Vincent James said. "When I think about 1 in 5 children that are in our service area that we see are experiencing food insecurity, that's just unacceptable."

The study shows 167,950 Kentuckiana residents, roughly 13% of the region's population, were food insecure in 2022, a 33.2% increase from 2021, which saw a total of 126,060 people.

The organizations believe more people need help because COVID-era benefits are ending, and costs for housing and food have increased.

Dare to Care provided the following breakdown of Kentuckiana's food insecurity by the numbers:

55,430 children are food insecure (19%)
1 in 4 Black people are food insecure (25%)
1 in 6 Hispanic people are food insecure (18%)
1 in 8 white people are food insecure (12%)

"Dare to Care and our partners are seeing the greatest need since the great recession," James said in a news release.

This past spring break, Schlatter said he got a call from a mom who wasn't sure how she would feed her four kids during that week out of school. Volunteers stepped up and provided those meals.

"To see these kids run out to that car of our volunteer with joy and pulling items out of this food box because they're so excited that they're gonna have this food to eat for the week, those are things we take for granted," Schlatter said.

The Map the Meal Gap study looks at food insecurity and food costs for every county and congressional district from a local level.

To look at the study, click here.

A $2 donation to Dare to Care can provide 5 meals for people in need. To donate, click here.

For information about volunteering with Exodus Family Ministries, click here.

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