INDEPENDENCE, Ky. — Workers at Generations Church arranged to have 1,200 boxes of emergency meals and fresh produce ready for local families at their Saturday morning food pantry. They expected every single one to be claimed by the end of the day.
The pantry, normally open once a month for the neediest members of the Northern Kentucky community, now opens every Saturday.
Lead pastor David Mills said the COVID-19 pandemic and the sudden, destabilizing blow it dealt the national economy have pushed more families closer to a financial cliff than ever before.
“We now have people starting to get laid off; they own small businesses they’ve had to shut down,” Mills said. “People that are driving through probably thought they’d never have to go through a food pantry.”
Generations Church wouldn’t be able to serve them all without help. The pantry has operated in partnership with Freestore Foodbank for three years, and community donations have helped cover the increased demand in recent weeks.
Mills is glad to have it.
“Any little bit of extra food that they can get to help save a little money, it goes a long way for the average family,” he said.
For as long as supplies are available, the pantry will open from 9-11 a.m. every Saturday morning.
