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Woodford County food pantry reports rising demand; county surplus scale and emergency support approved
Summary
The Woodford County Food Pantry reported rising monthly demand and fundraising progress; the Fiscal Court approved transfer of a 2x2 Mettler Toledo scale and signed off on other supports including freezer expansion fundraising and a $6,000 grant for beef distribution.
WOODFORD COUNTY, Ky. — The Woodford County Food Pantry told the Fiscal Court on Sept. 23 that the number of households it serves has risen in recent months and that the pantry is expanding freezers and fundraising to meet demand. The court approved transferring a surplus 2-by-2 Mettler Toledo platform scale from Solid Waste and Recycling to the pantry.
Ashley Jackson, the pantry’s executive director, reported that the pantry served 214 heads of household in the most recent completed month and about 455 total families, including 24 new clients last month. Jackson said the pantry’s caseload has increased by roughly 30 heads of household per month since May.
Jackson described recent donations and fundraising efforts: Lowe’s donated freezers; a postal drive yielded 6,080 pounds of food in May (with some donations excluded because of expiration policies); a recent hunger-awareness drive collected 3,181 pounds of food and $4,282 in monetary donations; and the pantry was awarded $6,000 from the Kentucky Colonels for beef distribution after requesting $9,000. She said the pantry spends about $20,000 per year on beef alone.
During the meeting, County staff moved — and the court approved unanimously on voice vote — a motion to surplus a 2-by-2 Mettler Toledo platform scale from the county’s Solid Waste and Recycling division to the Food Pantry.
Jackson also described ongoing fundraising: a freezer expansion campaign (with a $25,000 match offered if the pantry can raise $25,000), a Kroger-based Girl Scout “Scare Away Hunger” collection scheduled for Oct. 27–30, and a turkey drive to reduce the pantry’s out-of-pocket holiday costs. She said local businesses and groups — including Jack King Ford (which is filling the bed of a truck for donation) and a Democratic Women’s Convention drive on Sept. 28 — have pledged support.
Court members praised the pantry’s outreach. The judge executive noted the county will try to help “get you some turkeys” and asked staff to facilitate the scale transfer.
Action taken: - Motion to surplus a 2x2 Mettler Toledo platform scale from Solid Waste and Recycling to the Woodford County Food Pantry: motion by Squire Brown; second by Squire Downey; outcome: approved unanimously.
What the meeting did not decide: Pantry officials requested continuing support and fundraising assistance; the court approved the scale transfer but did not commit additional operational funding at this meeting.
Attribution: Direct statements about client numbers, donations and fundraising plans come from Ashley Jackson, identified in the meeting as the Woodford County Food Pantry executive director.
