KCTCS, Feeding Kentucky step up to address food insecurity among college students and across Kentucky
Published on Feb 7, 2025
48% of KCTCS students responding to survey report food insecurity
The Kentucky Community and Technical College System is taking steps to address food
insecurity at its colleges and across Kentucky. Last night, KCTCS teamed up with Feeding
Kentucky for the 8th annual Serving Up Solutions, which raises money for food banks that supply food for
organizations throughout the commonwealth, including the food pantries at all 16 KCTCS
colleges.
In a study conducted by Trellis Research last year, 48% of KCTCS students who responded reported they didn’t know where their next meal was coming from. Additionally, 48% of respondents said they were housing insecure; 45% were parents.
“We know students can’t learn if they are hungry, regardless of whether they are K-12 students or college students like the more than 100,000 who attend our 16 colleges, said Ryan Quarles, president of KCTCS and host of the event.
“Our students can’t better their lives if they have to choose between going to class or putting food on the table. Efforts like Serving Up Solutions help us stock our campus food pantries so they don’t have to make the choice.”
Around one in six Kentuckians are suffering from food insecurity and almost 16% don’t know where their next meal will come from, according to organizers.
Each year, Serving Up Solutions invites legislators to show their commitment to addressing food insecurity in Kentucky by donning aprons and serving food to event attendees.
University of Kentucky Athletics Director Mitch Barnhart delivered the evening’s keynote address with a message of supporting young people and teaching them to be good stewards in their communities.
“When we give more than we take, when we consume less than we contribute, that’s when we become an adult. That’s the message we try to instill in our student athletes — the importance of dedicating time to serve,” Barnhart said during his remarks to the crowd of more than 150 legislators, business and industry representatives, community members, food bank managers, and educators.
Feeding Kentucky Executive Director Melissa McDonald spoke to the importance of collaboration to develop non-partisan solutions to ending hunger in Kentucky.
As part of the program, attendees heard video messages from KCTCS students and Henderson Community College President Jason Warren who discussed the importance of having food and other emergency resources available on college campuses for students and their families.
“There’s so much stress when it comes to money and food and everything above, and I can’t imagine the smiles [the food pantries] have put on people’s faces when they just get to come to school and eat,” KCTCS student Brooklyn Crawford said in her video message.
Serving Up Solutions raised over $50,000 this year for Kentucky’s food banks; the event has raised over $200,000 since it began.
“It doesn’t matter where I am in life, I will always take time to work for others who have less than I do,” Quarles said.
To donate to the food pantries and emergency funds of one of the 16 colleges of KCTCS, visit www.kctcs.edu/giving. To learn more about the efforts of Feeding Kentucky or to donate, visit www.feedingky.org.
Hear real stories of need and hope from KCTCS students: https://youtu.be/6HfB2skkUbY
