HOPKINSVILLE, KY (CHRISTIAN COUNTY NOW) – The Aaron McNeil House provides support to Christian County families all year long with community outreach and a food pantry. Plus, their monthly food distribution program is able to serve thousands of families every year.
“Our goal is to spread our outreach and help families and individuals in Christian County that are facing food insecurity and times of crisis,” said Sierra Latham, the administrative assistant for the Aaron McNeil House.
While they keep the Aaron McNeil House website updated with exact dates, the distributions generally occur the second Saturday of every month. They set up at the Western Kentucky Fairgrounds in Hopkinsville to provide food boxes packed with non-perishable items. On average, they are able to serve 800-1,000 families every month. Because the Aaron McNeil House only has three people on staff, they heavily rely on a committed fleet of volunteers to pack and load the food for families driving through.
“It is almost miraculous to see the operation unfold,” said Latham.
The process is simple. Families are asked that their trunk or backseat is empty so volunteers can quickly load food. No reservation or prior registration is required. People will be required to provide basic identifying information and answer a few questions about their household. The food is then loaded in, and the next vehicle pulls up.
While they consistently see large numbers of people coming through every month, during winter months the need is even higher.
“We see how expensive groceries are and know the extra expenses that come with the season,” said Latham. “Just trying to help people make ends meet is a really big thing Aaron McNeil house does.”
They are able to function so efficiently thanks to support from the Christian County community. They are always in need of monetary, and non-perishable food donations. The next food distribution is Dec. 9 from 8-10 a.m. at the fairgrounds.