As Fiscal Year 2025 comes to a close, we are filled with gratitude, reflection, and renewed resolve. This year has been nothing short of extraordinary for God’s Pantry Food Bank, and more importantly, for the neighbors we serve across Central and Eastern Kentucky.
Thanks to the generosity, compassion, and tireless work of our supporters, staff, volunteers, and partners, we’ve accomplished a great deal. Together, we’ve made meaningful strides in the fight against hunger.
Nourishing Communities, One Meal at a Time
For the first time in our 70-year history, we distributed more than 50 million pounds of food in a single fiscal year. We distributed 51,042,266 pounds of food across our 50-county service area. Of that total, more than 20 million pounds were fresh produce, offering our neighbors not just food, but the nutrition they need to thrive.
Behind these numbers are stories of resilience and hope. Each pound of food represents a family fed, a child nourished, a senior supported.
“[W]ithout the pantry, the fresh vegetables and fruit would not be there as much as they are. I’m healthier, and I’m not so consumed about being able to get as many groceries. And when you’re not as worried about how much food you’re going to get or if you’re going to get enough, it’s a lot easier and you’re not as stressed,” Karen Erby, Clay County, Kentucky
Supporting Our Partners
We are proud to work with more than 500 partner pantries and meal programs—each one an essential lifeline to the nearly 280,000 neighbors who face food insecurity in our region. Their daily dedication brings our mission to life in local communities across Central and Eastern Kentucky.
"Our partnership with God’s Pantry Food Bank is transformative," Tracy Nolan, Red Bird Mission. "Previously, we could only offer emergency food quarterly; now, thanks to God’s Pantry Food Bank, we serve seniors monthly and households in need more effectively, "she says gratefully.
Prioritizing Rural Communities
Hunger often hits hardest in rural areas, where grocery stores and resources can be scarce. In FY25, we distributed 39,296,492 pounds of food in our 43 rural counties, ensuring that families in every corner of our service area can access the food they need.
Expanding Health and Hunger Programs
Through our Health Care Pantry Program, we now operate at 51 health care sites—helping patients heal with proper nourishment. These partnerships are bridging the gap between hunger and health, making a real difference in the long-term outcomes for individuals and families.
Investing in the Next Generation
Childhood hunger is a persistent challenge in our region, and we’re committed to doing more to meet it. This year, we hired a dedicated Youth Services Specialist and expanded support for programs like the BackPack Program, which delivered 58,303 backpacks filled with kid-friendly, nutritious food to students across Kentucky.
Preparing for the Future
We also opened a new facility to better serve our neighbors and launched our Building the Future, Nourishing Communities capacity campaign to ensure we can meet growing need for generations to come. This campaign is already helping us fill existing gaps in meal access and puts us on a path to scale up to distributing 60 million meals annually.
Looking Ahead
Fiscal Year 2025 has been monumental, but the work continues. As food insecurity continues to rise and food costs remain high, our mission remains urgent.
Together, we will keep showing up. Together, we will reduce hunger and feed Kentucky communities.
