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.
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