One in six Tri-State families is at risk of experiencing food insecurity, according to Freestore Foodbank. Twenty-five percent of the people affected are children.
That's why the food bank's round-the-clock mission to provide, fresh, healthy fruits and vegetables to people who need them is so important, CEO Kurt Reiber said.
"Hunger doesn't take a holiday," he said. "Our farm doesn't take a holiday either."
Volunteers such as Jayden Johnson power the food bank's operations by spending hours picking produce in its "giving fields." That produce is then passed on to local pantries such as Be Concerned, which feeds food-insecure and low-income residents of Covington.
"Fresh produce is so important for folks because it leads to healthier eating choices," Andy Brunsman, executive director of Be Concerned, said. "Healthier choices lead to healthier lifestyles."
Reiber said demand for the food bank's services increases by up to 40 percent during the summer, when children cannot rely on school lunch programs to feed them.
If you would like to donate or volunteer, you can learn how to do so online.
