LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — For 29 uninterrupted years, God’s Pantry has staged its annual Thanksgiving Basket Brigade. Tomorrow, the event will celebrate its 30th anniversary.
“All of these boxes, I believe it’s 4,200, we’ll be packing,” said Alexander Hammond.
Hammond took us through the warehouse where the boxes were being prepped for the more than 300 volunteers who paid their way into helping tomorrow for two hours.
“Just goes to show how supportive this community is, and we can’t do it without them,” Hammond added.
All of the Thanksgiving trimmings will be placed in the boxes during the Brigade. Turkeys will be added before next week’s distribution. The need is there every year, but it’s reached a critical level due to inflation and federal assistance cutbacks.
“Over 220,000 folks in central and eastern Kentucky, and in the 50 counties where we operate, are food insecure,” Hammond stated.
God’s Pantry also prides itself on providing nutritious meals all year, which will be no different from this year's holiday meal. Hammond cited their partnerships with several local farms and farmers who help facilitate that goal.
The Basket Brigade will occur on Saturday from 10:30-11:30 a.m. and then again from 12:30-1:30 p.m. The boxes will be distributed on November 18 in Laurel County and then on November 20 and 21 in Rowan and Fayette Counties. A donation of $60 allows God’s Pantry to feed a family this holiday season.
