To the Editor:

Grayson County’s USDA agencies collected and delivered the results of this year’s “Harvest of the Heart Food Drive” on Monday, Nov. 19. This was the 16th year for the annual food drive and the total amount of non-perishable food items collected was approximately 3,600 pounds as well as $70 in monetary donations.

The partnership effort this year included the USDA agencies Farm Service Agency (FSA), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), the Grayson County Conservation District (GCCD), and the Rural Development agency (RD). Working with these agencies were about 25 community churches scattered all across Grayson County. Special thanks also goes out to Core-Mark International for supplying the food collection bins used in the food drive.

All of the food drive proceeds were delivered to the Alliance Food Pantry. The Alliance Food Pantry is currently serving over 900 Grayson County families per month in their food and nutrition needs. All recipients are screened for need and the Food Bank does a marvelous job of properly identifying and addressing individual needs; especially when considering the limited resources they have to work with.

The annual “Harvest of the Heart” food drive is one of the significant annual efforts to replenish the shelves at the food pantry, but the need for food supplies is year-round. They welcome donations of food or cash anytime during the year to help address the needs in our county.

Grayson County’s USDA agencies would like to thank Core-Mark International and all of the churches that participated in this year’s food drive and helped to make it a success. It is a wonderful effort, a great cause, and we can all celebrate in the results. If your church would like to join in this effort beginning with next year’s food drive, please contact Sandra Childress at the Grayson County FSA Office at 270-259-3716.

We should all keep in our minds that “hunger ends where caring begins.”

For additional information contact your local FSA Office, or see www.fsa.usda.gov/ky.

Sandra Childress

Program Technician

USDA Leitchfield FSA Service Center