TJ Regional Health CEO Neil Thornbury works the "To the Brim" food drive at Houchens at at South Gate Plaza on Wednesday, Aug. 28,2024. James Brown/Glasgow News 1
By MICHAEL CRIMMINS
Glasgow News 1
The 16th annual “To the Brim” food drive is once again collecting donations for the Community Relief Fund food pantry from Aug. 28 to Aug. 31 with the goal of alleviating food insecurity in Barren County.
According to Feeding America, food insecurity — which occurs “when people don’t have enough to eat and don’t know where their next meal will come from” — is present in 100 percent of United States counties and impacts roughly 44 million people nationally — with 13 million of those being children. Feeding America further states hunger is more prevalent in rural communities due to a myriad of factors.
“To the Brim” food drive — which always takes place during the days preceding Labor Day so people don’t have to “figure it out” according to long-time Glasgow resident and philanthropist Bharat Mody — is one of the resources attempting to fight this widespread issue.
Mody said people can make donations of non perishables at any of their three locations, which are Walmart, Houchens IGA at South Gate and, new for this year, Ruler Foods at the Barren River Plaza, or make monetary donations at those locations. Mody also said those three locations will also have premade donation bags for $10.
“Whether they donate one can or 100 cans it doesn’t matter,” Mody said. “Just donate.”
Volunteers at those locations will hand out papers with items being sought by the food drive, which includes canned food, peanut butter and crackers and pasta.
Mody pointed out that although this food drive is focused on the four days leading up to Labor Day, food insecurity is an ever-present issue in Barren County. According to prior reporting, the county’s food insecurity rate was 18.2 percent.
“Food insecurity is not just [during] these four days…it is around-the-clock the entire year,” Mody said. “Anyone can make a donation any time. Maybe you get a little extra when you go grocery shopping throughout the year to be a donation.”
Comments