APPALACHIA – (September 21, 2022) Christian Appalachian Project’s (CAP) Grateful Bread Food Pantry partnered with local schools, businesses, and community organizations to spotlight food insecurity in Eastern Kentucky. The annual Hunger Walk is held each September and this year collected 11,880 pounds of food which will be used to help families in need in CAP’s service area.  
 
“Hunger Walk is an opportunity to raise awareness in the communities that we serve about hunger issues in our community and to let people know what they can do to help,” said Carolyn Lindsey, Grateful Bread Food Pantry program manager. “It brings the community together so that we all can make a difference.”
 
In Appalachia, 1 in 5 children are food insecure. Hunger Walk supports CAP’s pantries in Rockcastle, McCreary, and Magoffin Counties. Texas Roadhouse and Hunt Brothers Pizza sponsored this year’s walk. The generosity of donors brought in $19,905. Funds generated from the Hunger Walk help provide food for children and their families in Rockcastle County and the surrounding communities that CAP serves. 
 
“The Lord has called us to turn outward to be a blessing to people. My father founded this company with a passion for serving people. He met CAP’s founder in the 70s and was passionate about helping eliminate food insecurity. We can all do our part,” Erin Hunt Ferguson, CEO of Pizza Wholesale of Lexington, a founding distributor of Hunt Brothers Pizza. 
 
Community leadership also showed their support by participating in the walk as well including Mount Vernon Mayor Mike Bryant and Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton. They were joined by Rockcastle County School Superintendent Carrie Ballinger and Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles. 
 
“Many of our neighbors in Appalachia struggle with food insecurity as well as right here in Lexington. Because we are blessed beyond measure, we are called to give back,” said Dr. Scott Wells, LCA’s Head of School. “If you don’t know where your next meal is coming from, nothing else really matters.”
 
A special highlight of this year’s community awareness was the inaugural Hunger Bowl hosted by Rockcastle County High School and sponsored by Momentum Courier. During halftime, Sam Hamilton, founder and president of Momentum Courier, donated $1,000 to Grateful Bread Food Pantry and pledged another $9,000 over the next 9 years to support Hunger Walk.
 
It’s not too late to help CAP fight hunger and feed hope. Donations and food collection will continue through the end of September. More information can be found at christianapp.org/hungerwalk.