SALYERSVILLE – With the federal shutdown still ongoing and SNAP benefits still in limbo, several areas of the community are coming together to try to help families bridge the gaps.
As the SI covered last week, Magoffin County Schools continues to offer after-school snacks to all students, sending home non-perishable foods.
Two local food banks continue to operate in Magoffin County. Water Into Wine Food Pantry at Lakefront Church of God, located on Rt. 30, serves 1,500 families per month and also offers emergency food boxes.
A representative with the food pantry confirmed for the SI that they will not turn anyone away as long as they have the food to give, but asked people to show up on pantry dates if possible. This month they have the following upcoming dates: Wednesday, November 19, from 9 to 11 a.m., and Senior Commodities on Thursday, November 20, from 9 to 11 a.m. People can also reach Water Into Wine by calling 606-349-6301.
The other food bank in Magoffin County is at the St. Luke’s Catholic Church, located at the junction of Parkway Drive and Restaurant Row. St. Luke’s serves more than 80 families monthly, with a representative telling the SI the pantry has been very busy recently and they expect that to continue. They can be reached at 606-349-5320.
In addition to the groups already set up for food distribution, others have stepped up to hold local food drives, including Miss Magoffin County Erin Grace Rudd, in conjunction with the Miss Magoffin Scholarship Pageant Organization, Magoffin County Schools and the Salyersville First Baptist Church.
Miss Rudd talked to the SI this week, explaining that former Miss Magoffin County Brooklyn Poe, who held the title from 2019 through 2021 (during COVID lockdowns), came up with the idea of holding a food drive and they quickly organized with the school system and the First Baptist Church and released a flier asking for donations and creating a friendly competition between the five schools in Magoffin County.
“We want to help the people from our community,” Rudd said. “I’ve always believed if I have something, and someone else needs it, it’s just right to help our fellow people out.”
Rudd said that with a 47% poverty rate in Magoffin County and the SNAP benefits on hold, food is something needed and they are willing to help however they can.
“This is the right time to do it,” Rudd said.
From November 10 through 21, people can donate nonperishable food items or a meal box for a family in need at any of the five public schools in Magoffin County and the Magoffin County Board of Education.
Rudd said the items most needed are canned vegetables and soup, rice, pasta and cereal, shelf-stable milk and baby formula, peanut butter and canned protein, and cooking oil and spices.
For more information or how to help, people can reach out to Erin Grace Rudd (Miss Magoffin), Lyndsey Wireman (Miss Teen), or Brooklyn Poe (former Miss Magoffin) on Facebook, or by calling 606-362-4130.
The group will be packaging the items into meal boxes at the Salyersville First Baptist Church on November 22 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and November 23 from 2 to 5 p.m. They will be working with the youth services centers at each school to help identify who need the boxes, but more information about the food drive distribution will be released closer to the dates.
“It’s so important to give back to your community, especially when you’re able to,” Rudd said. “It goes along with my CSI. If you’re hungry and your body is not fueled, you can’t perform to the best of your abilities, whether in the arts, singing, painting, or academically. Especially for younger kids, we want to ensure they are properly fed and have the right nutrition. Please donate to this wonderful thing with a great cause!”
She also said they hope to make this food drive an annual event, so she asked for the public to help them start strong.
While not necessarily the only food drives ongoing in the community, Licking River Baptist Church is also taking up donations of non-perishable food and canned goods in a Thanksgiving Food Drive created in loving memory of Tyler Alexander Barnett. The flier explained: “This Thanksgiving, we honor Tyler by the way he lived: by giving, by helping, by loving. We are collecting food to help families in Magoffin County, so that your beautiful spirit continues to touch lives this holiday season.”
People wanting to donate in Tyler’s honor can contact Amie Barnett, David Barnett, Shawn and Cassandra Barnett on Facebook.
Licking River Baptist Church will distribute the donates to families in need in Tyler’s honor.
The SI will continue to update this list as information becomes available, so be sure to check us out on www.salyersvilleindependent.com or follow us on Facebook.
