By GAGE WILSON
for Glasgow News 1
Hunger is a constant in everyone’s life, yet many have to choose between food and other necessities to live. In Barren County alone, nearly 20 percent of households are food insecure, with one in five children affected.
This gnawing issue has motivated residents to volunteer their time and resources to fight hunger. This is most apparent in 2025’s Feed the Need, a food drive organized by United Way in partnership with Barren County’s Community Action and local food banks. Set to the backdrop of Glasgow’s Save-A-Lot, volunteers spoke to shoppers about how they could help ease the burden on struggling community members.
“This program is designed to help out our local food banks,” said Sandy Hagan, county coordinator with Community Action. “All the food collected will stay right here in Barren County.”
The drive, which has brought in over a thousand items in the past, makes food security more attainable. “It’s a lifesaver for our pantry because we rely entirely on donated food,” Hagan said.
United Way of Southern Kentucky 211 Director Megan Henness spoke on the impact hunger can have on people, particularly its adverse effects on children. “When children are going to school and they’re hungry, they’re not able to absorb that information,” she said. While students are offered breakfast and lunch, the “after hours” are just as important. “Not knowing if there is going to be food on the table really impacts them… going to bed hungry can affect your ability to get a good night’s rest, in turn affecting their education the next day when they go to school.”
Food insecurity among children can result in developmental impediments both socially and physically, according to the National Institute of Medicine. “We all get ‘hangry’ sometimes,” Henness noted. “It can affect a lot of different areas in their life.”
As of last year, the group reported just under 700 volunteers within its 10 county area, supporting United Way’s mission through education initiatives and donations.
The Feed the Need drive has been going on for over a decade, with each iteration offering relief and surplus food to the community’s food banks. “These donations will be distributed between five food banks throughout the county,” Hagan explained. “Each pantry takes shifts at different stores and conducts a count, which I will then give to United Way, and then they put that on their shelves.”
One of these pantries is a familiar name with a fresh start in Barren County. Formerly known as Cave City Can, the owner of the newly named AJ’s Grace couldn’t be happier with its partnership. “It’s going to be exactly how it was before,” said Alex Goldsmith, owner of the pantry. “We don’t ask where you come from. The only question we’ll ask is how many people are in your family.”
Goldsmith attributes her pantry’s success to this attitude, as families in need may be hesitant to seek assistance if they have to provide too much personal information. While the pantry’s new location off the square is still undergoing some renovations, it remains operational and ready to help ease the pangs of families in need.
Her altruism stems from a place of understanding. “Growing up, my mom was a single mom with five kids, and if it wasn’t for food pantries helping us out, then I don’t know how we could do it…. You got to pay it forward, I guess.”
Goldsmith’s story is a reminder of how vital community support is — both from individuals and larger organizations. While volunteers and pantry operators provide essential services, local businesses also play a crucial role in sustaining these efforts.
Hagan points out that businesses like 3A Composite, Cecilian Bank, and local grocery chains have made the drive’s impact more powerful by pooling resources and attention into hunger awareness.
Community members wishing to assist or learn more can do so here. Those in need of food assistance can also call Barren County’s Community Action Office at 270-651-8171
