Every year, one in five Kentucky children experience food insecurity, or the lack of sufficient access to quality food. This staggering statistic, a reality faced by over seven hundred thousand individuals throughout the state, follows elementary students to an empty lunch, pre-teens to a hungry household, and high school attendees into a disadvantaged future. The weight of hunger haunts the halls of public schools in particular, hidden beneath the vulnerability that comes with needing assistance. Yet, as Woodford County High School students have displayed, there’s no shame in asking for a helping hand.
This year, WCHS has raised 5,042 nonperishable items for local families and food banks—a number detailed at the school’s annual Thanksgiving Assembly. Alongside being a fun tradition comprised of a raffle for above-and-beyond donors, a comedic turkey call contest, and heartfelt speeches from members of FFA (Future Farmers of America) and FCCLA (Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America), the rally provides support for community members in need through direct donations of food and money. It’s Woodford’s opportunity to send their support to peers and their families for the approaching holiday season.
“[They] aren’t just giving food… [they’re] giving stability and comfort,” stated Ariana Rodriguez, winner of Miss Kentucky 2025 and assembly guest speaker. Rodgriguez, now an accomplished spokesperson of Kentucky’s Department of Agriculture, grew up in the foster care system before falling into homelessness at age 16. “It wasn’t because of me that I stayed fed. It was because so many people of my community poured into me when they might not have even had the resources for themselves…I wouldn’t be standing here today as Miss Kentucky without my community.”
It’s for people like Rodriguez that donations are ever important: in an America where SNAP benefits aren’t guaranteed and inflation is at an all-time high, providing the smallest bit of security is what communities like Woodford are made for—and she commends WCHS’s dedication to giving. “There are people out there that care, even if they don’t know [you] personally, and that makes all the difference.” This sentiment shone through Woodford’s enthusiasm at the assembly, where cheers for the collected goods reached outside the school building.
As Thanksgiving approaches, Woodford goes a little less hungry thanks to the collective effort of its young people. Though the issue of food insecurity remains, families will be able to enjoy the holiday season without fear for their next meal.
If you would like to donate to or volunteer with initiatives that fight food insecurity, please follow the link below.
Volunteer Opportunities at Your Local Food Bank | Feeding America
