GEORGETOWN, KY -- The AMEN House, which provides food, clothing and financial assistance to families in Scott County, has purchased property that will eventually house its new facility.

 
The nonprofit served 3,000 people last year, but a study from its national partner, Feeding America, shows that 6,000 people in Scott County are food insecure and could use its services.
 
“There is no room for additional food in our existing space,” said AMEN House Executive Director Michele Carlisle. “AMEN House’s priority of providing healthy choices and high protein means we need additional refrigeration and freezer space for fresh produce and meat. Our current location off an alleyway also makes it difficult for large trucks to deliver supplies.”
 
The AMEN House currently occupies a 3,000-square-foot facility off Main Street on the property of First Presbyterian Church. The new property is 14 acres of farmland at the end of North Hamilton, less than a mile away from the existing facility.
 
“This is the beginning of an exciting journey where we will be able to expand our assistance to even more families in need,” said Tracie Hoffman, who serves as board chair. “Scott County is a generous community. We appreciate all the support we’ve received and will need even more commitments to make this vision a reality.”
 
According to Feeding America, more than 41 percent of food insecure households in Scott County live above 185 percent of poverty, which means they earn too much to receive most government assistance.
 
“Many of our clients are working, but their work might be seasonal through agriculture or construction, or they might earn wages too low to support a family,” Carlisle said. “In addition, the lack of affordable housing in the county means a large portion of their paycheck goes to rent, which leaves little money for nutritional food. That is why, despite the recovering economy, need is not slowing down for hunger relief. It’s actually growing.”  
 
      AMEN House is a nonprofit in Georgetown that provides food, clothing and financial assistance to Scott County residents. A member of the Feeding America network, it served more than 3,000 people in 2017. For more information, visit http://amenhouse.org.