New West Owensboro Alliance Offers Fresh Produce

OWENSBORO, Ky. (WEHT) — The city of Owensboro, and 3 of its neighborhood alliances are focusing on the issue of food scarcity. With the help of Tri-State Food Ban, they’re starting a new alliance for neighborhoods on the west end of Owensboro.

The West End Food Alliance says it doesn’t matter where you live or how much money you have, we’re called to love our neighbors as we love ourselves.

In the state of Kentucky, for every seven people, one is facing food insecurity.

The Audubon Area Neighborhood Alliance is fighting to change that statistic through a monthly set up at New Life Church.

The West End Food Alliance’s pre-packed food boxes include all the usual non perishables, but the focus is on adding fresh, seasonal produce to the mix.

“People would drive up, ride their bicycles up or walk up from the community. To see the smiles and hear the appreciation for the food because we gave away these food boxes, but also apples and bread…it was very satisfying,” says Todd Camp, the Pastor of New Life and a chairperson for the Audubon Area Neighborhood Alliance.

Alliance chairperson Bryant Bell says he noticed a shift in available food options for the seniors and low income families about a decade ago, and even tried to get a farmers market started on the west end of town.

“There used to be a Foodland down here on West Second Street…it closed down about eight years ago. So, that area became a food desert. Folks really had a long ways to go to a grocery store,” says Bell, a chairperson for the Audobon Area Neighborhood Alliance.

At only their second event, a little over one hundred boxes were gone within the span of an hour. Officials say it speaks to the need.

“We had like ten cars drive by, and they were just a little bit late. The first time we did it, we had plenty of boxes. We had like a few left over,” says Camp.

The mobile food distribution will go month by month to see what works best, before hopefully expanding into other communities of need.

“Through our programs and other people’s programs, they can shift their funds around, pay their electric bills. It’s just very helpful overall to families,” says Camp.

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