In the quiet hills of Perry County, Kentucky, Teddy Day starts his mornings long before sunrise. By 4:30 a.m., he’s already up, working through the physical pain that makes even simple movements a challenge. But Teddy, a single father of four and proud grandfather, doesn’t let anything stop him.
“My job is to keep the wolves at bay,” he says. “I do whatever I can to make sure my kids don’t have to worry.”
Teddy’s home is full of life with two daughters in college, an 11-year-old at home, and a steady flow of activity, laughter, and love. But making ends meet on his maintenance job at a fast-food restaurant is tough. Despite working full time, his wages are just above the threshold to qualify for federal food assistance. That means every dollar must be stretched to cover rent, groceries, gas, and school supplies.
That’s why the support from New Hope Hazard Food Pantry, a partner of God’s Pantry Food Bank, is essential.
“We wouldn’t make it without them,” Teddy says. “There have been times I didn’t eat, just so my kids would have enough.”
This kind of support is exactly why God’s Pantry Food Bank launched the $40 million Capacity Campaign, Building the Future, Nourishing Communities. By expanding warehouse space, transportation resources, and cold storage infrastructure, the campaign will empower partner pantries like New Hope to reach more families, more often, with nutritious, high-quality food.
In Eastern Kentucky, where access is often the barrier, that expansion means everything.
