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High Point Charities reports rising demand: nearly half of its clients came from Oldham County in 2024
Summary
High Point Charities told Oldham County Fiscal Court it provided 30,064 client services in 2024, served nearly 953 Oldham County families, and expanded a community kitchen funded in part by county support; High Point staff also outlined options to fill gaps left by a Red Cross local closure.
High Point Charities presented 2024 service data to the Oldham County Fiscal Court on Wednesday, telling magistrates the nonprofit had a 31% increase in services compared with 2019 and that nearly half of its client households are from Oldham County.
The organization’s chief presenter, Amy D’Amico, said High Point provided 30,064 services last year and recorded 19,555 household visits. In Oldham County specifically, High Point served 953 families representing 3,091 people, including roughly 968 children and about 600 older adults. D’Amico said 534 Oldham County families visited High Point monthly and 257 were new to the agency in 2024.
Why it matters: High Point identified itself as one of the primary basic‑needs providers for Oldham County and nearby rural counties. The nonprofit said it distributed $1.5 million in food in 2024 (about $75–$100 of groceries per visit) and about $1.4 million in clothing and home goods through its closet. High Point also reported a weekly community kitchen that has served more than 200 meals per week and operates life‑skills and nutrition classes.
County support and collaboration: D’Amico thanked the fiscal court for prior grants totaling $75,900 in 2022–23 that helped create the High Point Community Kitchen. High Point said the kitchen now employs a part‑time manager, hosts 12 monthly meal provider teams and supports nutrition education and job‑training opportunities tied to hunger reduction.
Red Cross closure and referral network: D’Amico told the court that while the local Red Cross presence has changed, High Point will remain a dependable food resource and will coordinate with two other local food providers — a Bread of Life pantry in North Oldham (Goshen) and a newly approved Crestwood food bank through the South Oldham Interchurch Council — to ensure geographic coverage for families with transportation limits. High Point said it will refer households to agencies that provide rent and utility assistance, such as Oldham County Community Chest and Tri‑County Community Action Agency, when needed.
Local data and poverty coverage: High Point compared the number of people it served to county poverty estimates and reported that in Oldham County the charity reached approximately 90% of the people estimated to be living in poverty; other counties in its service area had coverage rates ranging from 30% to nearly 79% depending on county.
Questions and next steps: Magistrates asked about using the community kitchen for broader life‑skills education. D’Amico said High Point’s first priority is serving households with basic needs and building cooking and nutrition classes for families that meet that need; expanding to broader populations may be considered after the program is meeting core objectives. Court members thanked High Point for Christmas meal support and other services and discussed continued interagency coordination as county relief providers adapt to changes in Red Cross service in the area.
Ending: Fiscal court members expressed appreciation and urged continued coordination among local nonprofits and county agencies to address food insecurity, rental and utility needs and holiday assistance needs shifted by the Red Cross changes.
