Wayside Christian Mission looking for volunteers, preparing to feed thousands on Thanksgiving Day

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - This Thanksgiving, shelters and food banks are working to meet an increased need, helping families get a holiday meal on the table.

Food insecurity has shown no signs of slowing down in the Commonwealth, and with inflation and pandemic-era benefits ending, for many it’s become even harder to make ends meet.

According to Feeding America’s Map the Meal Gap study, as of 2021 there were over 579,000 people in Kentucky facing food insecurity and 1 in 7 children facing hunger.

The study found there were more than 77,000 who are food insecure in Jefferson County alone.

Feeding America’s State of Senior Hunger Data shows Kentucky has the fourth highest rate of food insecurity in the nation among older adults aged 50-59.

“We have seen a lot more people on the street than normal,” said Nina Moseley, the chief operating officer for Wayside Christian Mission. “It’s very difficult for people right now. Just the price of groceries alone have pretty much tripled in the past few months.”

That’s why every year, Wayside Christian Mission makes sure no one at the shelter has to go without a Thanksgiving meal.

The shelter provides meals all day, starting with breakfast at 6:45 a.m. and serving Thanksgiving dinners until 7 p.m. They’re also having a cookout with Thanksgiving meals available for anyone in the community in need. Last year, the event served 2,800 meals.

Mosley says for the volunteers, it’s all aimed at giving those in need a sense of normalcy around the holidays.

“Some of them have been coming for 40 years or more, some of them are the first ones to be here at 5 in the morning, and they’ve been here for decades,” Moseley said. “We just want to make sure that especially our children are well taken care of, and they don’t have to know that they’re in a bad situation.”

Wayside Christian Mission is still in need of more volunteers on Thanksgiving Day. You can sign up at waysidechristianmission.org.

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