LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — The holiday season is a joyful time of year for most. However, the costs of hosting a Thanksgiving dinner and keeping up with holiday norms can be pricey and overwhelming.
That’s why God’s Pantry Food Bank in Lexington is doing its annual Sharing Thanksgiving program, where volunteers assemble the essentials needed for cooking a Thanksgiving meal.
“I know what it’s like to not be able to provide a meal for your family,” Volunteer Jessica Mendez Lira said.
To her, assembling these Thanksgiving meals for the community is personal.
“When you don’t know where your food’s coming from, you go into a survival mode, and you’re not able to really experience your life to the fullest,” she added. “Food is such an important part of relationships in many cultures. Being able to provide a way to bring people together is really important.”
The Community Health Worker once needed God’s Pantry’s assistance.
Now, she is one of 200 volunteers who decided to spend their Saturday Afternoon helping others.
“I mean, it does feel really good because you are physically seeing a product that you know is going to meet someone’s hands and be on their table,” Mendez Lira said.
She knows packing the meals, which include brownie mix, stuffing mix, cranberry sauce, and more, makes a difference. But it’s more about seeing the family's reaction when they receive these boxes.
“I’m telling you, I have seen literal relief on someone’s face,” said Lira Mendez.
According to Feeding America, more than 47 million people across the country face hunger.
In Kentucky, God’s Pantry says 40 percent of the nation’s most food-insecure counties are located in the central and eastern parts of the state.
“Every single day, I meet somebody that doesn’t know where their next meal is going to come from,” she said. “It’s like, wow, there is this much need in our community?”
After a hard day’s work, Mendez Lira helped the organization box over 5500 meals. She says this experience made an impact on her. How she hopes it will make an impact on her neighbors.
God’s Pantry is currently accepting financial donations to support the Sharing Thanksgiving Program. Please visit their website for more information.
