I recently had the most recharging and splendid experience in Louisville visiting the West End branch of the local Dare to Care Food Bank in Kentucky. I left feeling so hopeful about the future! I got a private tour from the impressive and knowledgeable Executive Chef “T” (Teresa White), who handles various programs at the food bank promoting healthy eating and education.

September is Hunger Action Month

Teresa and I spoke about different initiatives they have going on, and how the two of us can work together to spread awareness around food insecurity and the importance of food equity in terms of everyone having access to nutritious foods that work for their lifestyle and needs. The specific site I went to keeps their kitchen peanut and tree-nut-free, in addition to fish and shellfish-free, due to food allergies. The kitchen produces over 300,000 hot meals each year and does another 150,000 thousand frozen ones for their other programs. Dare to Care (DTC), as an organization, distributed over 26M pounds of food in 2021 alone. They’re allergy and food restriction aware, and ingredient transparent, which was wonderful to see! They track and label all ingredients for anything they provide from their facilities. This September, I’ll be turning my social media orange in honor of Hunger Action Month! After reading this article, you may be inclined to, too!

You may not know this about me, but I’m on the Associate Board in Louisville for the Coalition for the Homeless division here, so meeting with Teresa to see the Dare to Care facility in the West End of Louisville was really special. The kitchen is new as of June 2020 and is state-of-the-art, with extremely impressive food-related technologies, and even higher standards for food safety. The location I visited has a community garden across the street where they grow herbs to add to their meals to create their extra nutrient-dense dishes. Many people who receive their services may only be getting this one meal a day, so Chef T’s mission is to pack them with as much nourishment as possible.

In 2020 I learned a statistic that I’ve shared on my blog and social media before, it was Food Equality Initiative (FEI) research I saw that has continued to stick with me as someone with a life-threatening food allergy. They found that out of the 60,000 food banks across the nation, only 4, that’s right, FOUR, were reserving food for dietary restrictions. I don’t know what the statistic is now in 2024 and beyond, but I am so proud to live in a city where they’re among the top percent of food banks making positive changes in the industry and paving a new way, which is not only allergy-conscious but conscious of the needs of their audience. Dare to Care is surveying and speaking to those in need, instead of just assuming and handing out food without discussion or further inquiry. The old days of going to a food kitchen and getting handed whatever they have should be over– people deserve to be catered to. Whether personal preference, religion-based, or dietary needs.

I was amazed by the size of the DTC space, not only their kitchen, but their Community Room! I plan to make social media content in their Community Room, which I believe is available for rental in the community for $25 a day for non-profit/not-for-profit and $75 day rental for profit. It’s a super clean, updated kitchen, with multiple TV monitors that could be used for instructional videos such as a cooking class to show various angles of what’s happening on the stove or prep area. Not only that, though, the space has been rented for all types of purposes, as there’s plenty of seating and tables for events such as non-food meetings and gatherings in the community! I could see myself renting it for a community meet-up or lecture, or something of the sort.

What are you doing to fight food insecurity in your community? 

Getting involved doesn’t have to be a super intense commitment, every little bit helps. I personally only volunteer someplace if I’m not around my allergens, or I find ways to help in a way where it’s safe for me, such as remotely, like I plan to do by going orange for the month of September (Hunger Action Month). I personally find volunteer work of all types so rewarding, especially if it’s in my very own community. I couldn’t believe such a cool space was doing such impressive work just a 13-minute drive away from my house. I can’t wait to get more involved, and I walked away feeling uplifted, as personal values of mine are food equity and raising awareness around food allergies, which both are being addressed by the modest, but mighty team of employees and volunteers at Dare to Care. 

Dare to Care suggests volunteering either by being an advocate for Dare to Care, fundraising on their behalf and/or donating, or volunteering your time at a local food bank. Often some of the most needed volunteers are not for passing out and handing out food, but more of the behind-the-scenes. Inquire with Dare to Care directly to learn how to get involved in a way that works for you, or your local food bank. Here are some resources Chef T shared with me:

• Feeding America
• Feeding Kentucky
• Feeding America Kentucky’s Heartland
• Tri-State Food Bank
• Freestore Food Bank 
• Facing Hunger Food Bank: 
• Here is a video showcasing the Community Kitchen 

Want to get involved but don’t know how?

Since September is Hunger Action Month, here are ways you can help our most vulnerable community members:

• Wear orange and consider changing your social media banners and profile photos to spread awareness.
• Consider making a post or a video for your social media talking about food insecurity and Hunger Action Month with links for your followers, friends, and family.
• Consider changing your email signature block to include Hunger Action Month and links to the regional food bank in your area.
• Form a team of volunteers to work a shift at your regional food bank or area food pantries and share how others can help, too.
• Talk to your employers about employee donation matching. 
• Talk to your employers about forming a team to raise funds, and/or form a volunteer team.
• Consider a food drive for just one needed item, like:
  • Canned goods, such as beans, soups, fruit, tuna & chicken & aim for ring-top cans when possible, as some neighbors may not have can openers
  • Gluten-free and diabetic-friendly foods
  • Toilet paper
  • Hygiene items
  • Baby products (Please include the food bank when running a food drive for baby food and formula, as there are specific requirements for these donations.)
  • Also, consider food drives for companion items, like:
    • Pasta AND sauce
    • Pancake mix AND syrup
    • Diapers AND wipes
  • When asking for prepared meal mixes, consider asking for meal mixes that only require water to prepare. 

A Look at Kentucky Food Insecurity 

In the last year, KY food banks served 611,100 Kentuckians, seeing a need even higher than during the pandemic. Post-COVID inflation, rising costs of fuel and groceries mean that Kentucky food banks are needed more now than ever. For those interested in Kentucky numbers, here is what food insecurity and food justice looks like:

• 14.3% of Kentuckians are food insecure, defined as the condition of not having access to sufficient food or adequate quality to meet one’s basic needs.
• 28% are children ages 17 and under.
• 39% are BIPOC.
• 22% of LGBTQIA+ adults live in poverty and are disproportionately affected by food insecurity.
• 29% of LGBTQIA+ youth in Kentucky are homeless.

If You Need Resources

Lastly, if you’re facing food insecurity, I pulled the below from a resource Chef Teresa provided me that I wanted to share:

If you or someone you know needs food assistance, you can go to your regional food bank’s website and tap the “Need Food” or “Get Help” button. From there all you need to do is enter your address and you will get a list of the food pantries in your neighborhood. Remember:

• “You are worthy: You are just as worthy of help as anyone else.
• We have plenty of food for everyone; don’t think for a second you are taking “too much”.
• We don’t want you to struggle or have to choose between feeding your family, getting your medications, paying your electricity bill, or buying new school shoes for the kids.
• We absolutely do not judge people by the color of their skin, their sexual orientation, their gender, or religion, if they are unemployed or underemployed, what they wear, or what they drive. If you tell us you need help, we will do everything we can to support you.

Most importantly: We want you to come to see us at Dare to Care! Don’t you know you’re the reason we get up every day??”

I thought the above message was lovely. Please consider volunteering, donating, or advocating each September (and beyond!)

Invisibly Allergic Food Allergy Blog: Food Allergy Resources

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