Nourish Lexington initiative hires displaced food service workers, feeds those in need

Lexington is known for its hospitality, caring and innovation. That wouldn’t be possible without our frontline hospitality workers. They are the unsung heroes of hospitality in our community.

These workers step up every day to make our visitors feel welcome and are a valued part of our local tourism industry, which attracts $1.2 billion in spending and generates more than $93 million in local tax revenue each year. And now, they are disproportionately impacted by the necessary safety steps being taken to protect everyone’s health.

There is no better time to show our hospitality workers that we appreciate them, value their contribution to our community and will support them in their time of need.

That’s why several Central Kentucky community organizations recently announced the creation of Nourish Lexington, an initiative to utilize food service workers recently unemployed due to the COVID-19 closings, to provide prepared meals to those who need immediate access to food.

In exchange for preparing and distributing meals, food service workers receive a $60 payment for a four-hour shift. Meals are being distributed to hospitality industry families, other families in need, seniors in affordable housing apartment complexes, and children and their families through family resource coordinators.

Within a week of being announced, Nourish Lexington is providing an immediate solution that leverages available kitchen facilities, expertise in food service and efficiencies of food preparation and distribution. The first three days of meal distribution served 2,229 meals to families in need.

FoodChain’s kitchen facility at the corner of Jefferson and West 6th streets in downtown Lexington is serving as the pilot location for the initiative. Whitaker Bank Ball Park has also stepped up to offer another point of distribution for the meals prepared by Nourish Lexington. Future locations will vary to ensure convenience for the families being served.

In addition to FoodChain, the E.E. Murry Family Foundation, Keeneland and VisitLEX are founding members. Other generous donors who have stepped forward to support the cause include the Lavin Family Foundation and the Jenna and Matthew Mitchell Family Foundation. The Bluegrass Tourism Marketing Association and Bluegrass Hospitality Association are pleased to make contributions as well to help this important effort.

In-kind donations from numerous companies and individual Lexingtonians who feel compelled to help where they can have been pouring in as well.

These are our family and friends. Nourish Lexington is providing not only sustenance to those in need. It is creating purpose and generating income for families directly impacted by the COVID-19 closures.

But the success of Nourish Lexington will only be realized if the community participates. You can be a part of this important effort in a couple of simple, yet impactful ways:

To apply to work a shift at the Nourish Kitchen, receive a meal or learn more about donating product or kitchen space to Nourish Lexington, visit www.nourishlexington.org.

To learn more about this effort and help feed members of our community who need it most, visit www.nourishlexington.org or https://bgcf.givingfuel.com/nourishfund. Nourish Lexington is fueled by donations – big and small -- from community partners and members of the public because we all have a civic obligation to show hospitality in this time of need.

Avery is president of the Bluegrass Hospitality Association and general manager for Embassy Suites Lexington Green. Jones is president of the Bluegrass Tourism Marketing Association and director of sales at Lexington Marriott City Center.