Here are the items Kentucky food banks need most as SNAP funds expire Nov. 1
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- Food banks in Kentucky report rising demand as shutdown and inflation strain resources.
- God’s Pantry and CAP request unopened nonperishables, peanut butter and canned meats.
- Volunteers and donors should contact local pantries, host drives or give financial aid.
Editor’s note, 2:50 p.m. Oct. 31: In a bench ruling out of Rhode Island Friday, a federal judge ordered the Trump administration to pay federal nutrition benefits to millions of Americans amid the government shutdown using emergency funds. It wasn’t immediately clear if and when SNAP benefits will proceed.
Even before the federal government shutdown, now in its fourth week, Kentucky’s food banks were stretched thin.
Rising grocery prices, utility bills and other essentials have been dialing up demand for food assistance programs. Government workers missing paychecks, including military members, are lining up at food banks across the country.
Federal funding for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, formerly known as food stamps, is set to run out this week, leaving some 600,000 Kentuckians without assistance. Monday, President Donald Trump’s administration announced federal food aid funds will not be distributed starting Saturday, Nov. 1.
“It will be a crisis if the federal shutdown continues and these people do not have access to their (SNAP) benefits come Nov. 1,” Laura Brooks, director of marketing and communications for God’s Pantry Food Bank, previously told the Herald-Leader.
From peanut butter to canned goods, some of the most-request food pantry items could be sitting in your kitchen right now. Here’s a guide to navigate food banks in Fayette County and across Kentucky, including where you can donate and volunteer.
According to Fayette County Public Schools spokesperson Miranda Scully, your donations could support families and their students. Several of the district’s schools have on-site food pantries, the largest of which include Bryan Station and Lafayette high schools.
“The most effective way for the public to help right now is by donating funds, food, or time directly to our community partners, such as God’s Pantry, FEED Lexington, and various local faith communities. We work closely with these organizations to ensure our families receive essential support and help fill existing gaps, as they regularly supply our school-based operations,” Scully told the Herald-Leader via email.
“If a community member wishes to support a specific school directly, they should reach out to the Family Resource/Youth Services Center (FRYSC) Coordinator serving that campus to coordinate needs and drop-offs,” Scully added. The district hosts an online directory of those coordinators.
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God’s Pantry Food Bank
God’s Pantry Food Bank serves 50 counties throughout Central and Eastern Kentucky by partnering with more than 500 local food pantries and meal assistance programs, according to its website.
Laura Brooks, the organization’s communications director, said God’s Pantry is most in need of unopened, nonperishable food items liked canned tuna and chicken, peanut butter, canned fruits and vegetables, soups and shelf-stable meals.
“If anyone needs food assistance, visit godspantry.org/help to find the nearest food pantry or meal program,” Brooks wrote the Herald-Leader in an email. “The site includes an easy-to-use map and contact information for partner food pantries and meal programs across 50 counties in Central and Eastern Kentucky.”
There are multiple ways to support God’s Pantry. Businesses, schools and churches can host food or fund drives, individuals can help raise awareness about the organization’s mission or make financial donations, Brooks said.
“Every dollar donated helps provide 6 meals,” Brooks wrote. “Monetary gifts allow us to purchase exactly what’s needed, often at wholesale prices.”
- Location: 2201 Innovation Drive, Lexington, KY 40511
- Where to donate: According to the organization’s website, individuals in Fayette County can donate nonperishable food by bringing donations to a local warehouse or by placing them in blue barrels found at any Kroger. In other stretches of Kentucky, individuals should contact a local pantry.
- How to volunteer: In Lexington, volunteers can help sort donations and pack food boxes at 817 Winchester Road. There are also opportunities to stock pantry shelves, distribute food boxes to seniors and pack food for children. Volunteers can send an email to volunteerservices@godspantry.org and register online.
Lighthouse Ministries
Lighthouse Ministries of Lexington serves lunch at noon and dinner at 5:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday. It serves one meal at 5 p.m. Sunday. It’s located at 190 Spruce Street in Lexington, and has a list of most-needed items on its website. Donations can be dropped off from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. Call 859-492-0391 with questions.
Christian Appalachian Project
The Christian Appalachian Project, or CAP, is an anti-poverty organization. It has three food pantries in Eastern Kentucky, including in McCreary, Rockcastle and Jackson counties. Donations are divided between them.
Libby Wasserbeck, who manages the nonprofit’s Rockcastle and Jackson pantries, said donations can be dropped off at 2528 Palumbo Drive in Lexington. It’s open between Monday and Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
“Our greatest need right now is for canned goods — peanut butter, canned meats, individual items like mac n cheese, boxed mac’n’cheese, ramen, canned beans, flour, pancake mix, pancake syrup, cereals, pasta, pasta sauces or bread of any kind. Fresh produce is also welcome. Try to do non-glass jars when possible on items,” Wasserbeck wrote in an email.
Wasserbeck added CAP typically doesn’t accept perishable items such as milk and butter, except if it’s coming directly from a grocery store. For questions about donations, call 859-269-0635.
Other Kentucky Food Banks
God’s Pantry is part of Feeding Kentucky’s seven-member food bank network that spans the state. Its member food banks include the following:
- Dare to Care Food Bank: Dare to Care serves 13 counties between Indiana and Kentucky, including Jefferson, Shelby, Oldham, Spencer, Carroll, Trimble and Henry counties in Kentucky.
- Feeding America, Kentucky’s Heartland: Based in Elizabethtown, the food bank partners with 242 nonprofits in 42 counties. It distributes more than 11 million pounds of food each year.
- Freestore Foodbank: This Cincinnati-based food bank distributes 23 million meals annually across 20 counties in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana. Its service area includes nine counties in Northern Kentucky.
- Facing Hunger Food Bank: Facing Hunger is based in Huntington, W.Va., but it also serves three Eastern Kentucky counties.
- Tri-State Food Bank: Tri-State Food Bank is based in Evansville, Ind., and serves seven counties in the Bluegrass State.
- Purchase Area Development District Food Bank: PADD’s service area includes Ballard, Calloway, Carlisle, Fulton, Graves, Hickman, Marshall and McCracken counties in Kentucky’s Jackson Purchase region.
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This story was originally published October 28, 2025 at 5:00 AM.