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Feeling the need in all seasons

Kathy Powers and Lisa Boswell work together each day to help feed Metcalfe’s needs.

Jennifer Moonsong

Central Division

General Manager

Jobe Publishing, Inc.

 

The food pantry at Bowling Park is a valuable community resource, and that has been even more true in 2020 with families facing challenges presented by Covid.

 

“I wonder where we would be today if we had not built a new food pantry,” said Bowling Park Director, Lisa Boswell.

 

She started her position as a director about seven years ago. At the time they prepared 130 senior boxes a month. Today, they have 530 active accounts for senior boxes, with 10 to 15 new people in need each and every month.

 

Much of the food in the food pantry comes from a nationwide organization called Feed America.

“When they see the truck here, they come and lineup,” said Boswell.

 

The food pantry is run by Kathy Powers and a very dedicated group of volunteers who work their fingers to the bones helping people in Metcalfe County.

 

“I also have a wonderful Board of Directors, who when I told them we needed to build a bigger pantry, did not bat an eye,” Boswell said.

 

The amount of food and people in need is staggering.

 

“In one day 17,516 pounds of food left the pantry. We served 578 families,” Powell said. She also stated that they need is constantly growing and that those in need might not be who you suspect.

 

“I feel like it’s affected the farm where I was the most,” said Boswell. “And no one knows, because when they come into town once a month to go to the pharmacy and the grocery, they look put together, and don’t want to admit they are in need.”

 

They are, however, in need. Often times because they spent their lives farming, they have very little late-life income, limited health insurance, no home insurance, and extremely scared resources for day-to-day needs.

 

As always the pantry cannot rely solely on donations from Feed America. Each and every week they need sugar, flour, cornmeal, cooking oil, and other non-perishable items that Feed America does not provide.

 

Donations can be made directly to the food pantry by contacting Kathy Powell at Bowling Park, or Lisa Boswell.

 

“There are more people in this county in need than you’d ever imagine, and all the donations remain within the county,” Boswell added.

 

Bowling Park can be contacted by calling 270-432-7204.

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