LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB/WKYT) — New data shows many Kentuckians are food insecure, with some advocates warning that SNAP benefit losses and rising costs could make the problem worse.
According to the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy, U.S. Department of Agriculture data showed around one in five Kentuckians experienced food insecurity between 2022 and 2024.
The report ranked Kentucky second in the nation for food insecurity during those years. The data also found the state had the highest rate of very low food security, meaning people may skip meals or cut back on food because they cannot afford enough to eat.
Since the One Big Beautiful Bill Act passed in 2025, the center said nearly 83,000 Kentuckians lost SNAP benefits. The group said those losses, combined with continued inflation, could push numbers even higher in the future.
Nicky Stacy, who runs the Hazel Green Food Project in Wolfe County, said she wasn't surprised by the findings.
"We see those families in our food line every week," Stacy said. "... The people who are living paycheck to paycheck, and they are having a hard time just getting their bills paid."
Stacy said the project feeds families from 38 different counties. They have also given away 3 million pounds of produce since the beginning of the year.
She hopes more food resources and job opportunities can help curb food insecurity across the state. She also believes state and federal lawmakers need to do more to support struggling families.
"In Frankfort, when they're doing these bills, they forget the faces, but we see the faces," Stacy said. "Every food giveaway, every time we do a parking lot giveaway, we see the faces of the people needing help."
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