Dear Editor,

As Thanksgiving approaches, I am thinking about the blessings in my life and about all of those that go without what I can take for granted. This county and this country have such bounty that it should be unconscionable that children go hungry.

I am a volunteer with the Boyle County Farmers Market (BCFM) helping to coordinate two programs to help with food insecurity. The first is KY Double Dollars, which matches SNAP, WIC and Senior Farmers Market Nutrition program benefit dollars, one-to-one. The second is the Backpack Kids, which puts food in backpacks to help feed students who would otherwise lack enough food for the weekends.

The BCFM has partnered with Backpack Kids to add fresh fruits and vegetables to the backpacks.  The bulk of the food in the backpacks is processed and so BCFM seeks to balance that with fresh foods. This fall, we contributed watermelons, apples and sweet potatoes.

BCFM was able to contribute for four weekends, up from three last season, thanks to financial contributions from the community including: Community Trust Bank, the Bible study group at Sts. Peter and Paul Church, and individuals too numerous to list here. We thank them for making these donations possible. The BCFM also thanks Greta Haste of Bastin Farms for her time in securing the fresh produce.

For me, the fact that even one child goes hungry in this county is motivation. This year, the number of backpacks increased more than 50 percent, from 70 last year to 106 this year. The BCFM would like to expand this program to include fresh food donations in the spring. To do that, we need community support to pay the farmers providing the produce. If you are interested in supporting this program, please send your contributions (tax-deductible) to Backpack Kids, c/o Julie Pease, 471 Kings Mill Road, Danville, KY 40422. Thank you and have a peaceful Thanksgiving.

Julie Pease

Danville