Kentucky
Guest columnist: Feeding Kentucky’s retrospective on the shutdown – State-Journal
Guest columnist: Feeding Kentucky’s retrospective on the shutdown
Published 12:00 am Monday, December 8, 2025
If Kentucky relied on its food banks alone, our feeding ecosystem would collapse in a week. That’s not a hyperbole, it’s simple math. Even the strongest food distribution network in the state can cover only a fraction of what the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provides every month.
We talk a lot about the generosity of Kentuckians, especially in times of crisis. However, we need to start talking about scale. Feeding Kentucky’s seven food banks make up the commonwealth’s largest charitable response to hunger. And the truth is simple: our food banks were built to support, not replace, a federal nutrition program that provides nine times more meals.
Every day, our distribution sites move mountains of food, millions of pounds each month, to keep families from going without. That work is powered by donors, volunteers, and partners who step up when a crisis hits.
The 43-day federal shutdown, the longest in U.S. history, was an unplanned stress test of our hunger infrastructure, and the lesson was clear: when SNAP goes unfunded, families face hardship immediately and the strain on food banks becomes unsustainable.
This summer, Congress passed House Resolution 1, which includes long-term changes to SNAP’s funding model and adjusts how states share administrative costs.
Kentucky’s specific cost share will be announced in the coming weeks, giving the General Assembly the chance to plan in the next budget session. With thoughtful preparation, the state can ensure continued support for the 645,000 Kentuckians who rely on SNAP, helping stabilize families and strengthen our workforce.
According to Map the Meal Gap, more than 750,000 Kentuckians experience food insecurity, one in five children and one in eight seniors among them. These are not numbers. They are employees, students, parents, caregivers, and retirees.
And this is where the conversation must get honest: SNAP is not just a nutrition program. It is also an economic and workforce engine.
More than 95% of people who use SNAP are working, retired, or disabled. SNAP keeps families stable so adults can stay in the workforce. It helps seniors raising grandchildren keep food on the table. It helps small businesses retain reliable employees by reducing turnover. It supports Kentuckians who can no longer meet the physical demands of work. And it ensures students are fed, improving attendance, behavior, and long-term workforce readiness. We cannot build tomorrow’s workforce on empty stomachs.
These economic truths underscore the central point, that charity cannot replace the scale or the stabilizing power of SNAP.
Feeding Kentucky’s network provided about 63 million meals last year. That’s a remarkable achievement. But SNAP provides nearly $100 million in benefits in October alone, more than six times the combined monthly operating budgets of all seven food banks in the state.
Charitable food assistance plays a critical role in filling short-term gaps, but it was never designed to offset sweeping federal cuts. No donation drive, no holiday campaign, no emergency fund can replace the infrastructure or economic lift of SNAP.
Last month, the legislature and Governor’s office worked together to secure funding for the senior meals program, a bipartisan decision that protected vulnerable Kentuckians. We need that same commitment as SNAP’s state cost shift comes into view.
We need a strong, stable nutrition program that keeps folks employed, keeps kids learning, and keeps bellies full.
SNAP does all of that, every single day.
Now, it’s time to protect it.
Melissa McDonald is executive director of Feeding Kentucky. She can be emailed through Katherine Yochum at katherine@runswitchpr.com
13 things more likely to happen than winning the Powerball jackpot
Hoping to win the Powerball jackpot? Here are 13 things more likely to happen than becoming an instant millionaire.
The Kentucky Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at Thursday, June 25, 2026 winning numbers for each game.
Cash Ball
02-08-24-32, Cash Ball: 09
Check Cash Ball payouts and previous drawings here.
Pick 3
Evening: 6-3-0
Midday: 9-6-0
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Pick 4
Evening: 5-7-6-0
Midday: 5-2-6-6
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Millionaire for Life
03-13-14-34-45, Bonus: 01
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Courier Journal digital producer. You can send feedback using this form.
On Thursday, Kentucky’s home and away SEC opponents for the 2026-27 season were revealed and on top of learning the three opponents who they will play twice, there are some very intriguing matchups. In conference play, Kentucky will face six teams who are among the top 25 in many preseason rankings.
In SEC play, Kentucky will play Tennessee, Vandy and Ole Miss all both home and away. The home matchups include Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, LSU, Ole Miss, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas A&M and Vandy. As for the road tilts, the Wildcats will face Florida, Georgia, Mississippi State, Missouri, Ole Miss, Oklahoma, Texas, Tennessee and Vandy. Let’s take a look at some interesting developments from the schedule release.
John Calipari returns to Rupp Arena (again)
In Calipari’s first year with Arkansas, he got the best of Kentucky when he came into Rupp Arena and left with a 10-point victory, a game where you could really feel the tension all game long in the building from Kentucky fans, which translated onto the court with the players. Last season, it was Kentucky who shocked everyone when they stole one on the road against a top 20 Arkansas team after a rough up-and-down season up to that point. Now, the two will face off again as Kentucky will look to get the win in Rupp and make sure Calipari doesn’t get two in a row in the building. It’ll be another highly-anticipated showdown.
Kentucky hits the road at Texas
This is shaping up to be a major challenge for Kentucky next season and may even end up being one of the biggest games of the season. Texas is seen by many as a clear top 10 team, with some even having them within the top five and when you combine that with the fact that the game is on the road, the Wildcats will have their hands full. The Wildcats fell to the longhorns in the 2024-25 season, and it’ll be a much stiffer challenge this time.
Which game could be a trap?
We don’t have the game-by-game dates yet, so it’s hard to say with a lot of confidence, but opponent-wise, Georgia could really give Kentucky fits. In Pope’s first year, his team struggled handling the physicality of the Bulldogs and now, they’ve retained one of their best guards for another year and have added physicality through the portal. Mike White’s teams love to make opponents uncomfortable and they could do that once again down in Athens. Another sneaky team to watch is Oklahoma, who will have very good guard play. Kentucky will face both teams on the road.
Overall, it’s a pretty fair SEC schedule for a Kentucky team who has the capability of a return to being atop the conference once again. Mark Pope has such a system-fit squad and he can do some damage in the SEC.
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Fourth of July festivities to celebrate in Louisville
See the Fourth of July festivities planned in Louisville for America’s 250th birthday celebration.
Fourth of July is almost here, and Kentuckians are getting ready to light up the sky.
Before you plan your fireworks celebrations, it’s important to know what is and isn’t allowed under Kentucky law. Here’s what to know about fireworks laws and safety tips in the Bluegrass State ahead of Independence Day.
Can you set off fireworks in Kentucky?
Yes. As long as you live in a place where local ordinances don’t prohibit it, according to the Kentucky State Fire Marshal’s website.
Are fireworks legal in Louisville?
In Louisville or Jefferson County, larger display fireworks are not legal due to a local law. Some consumer products that don’t leave the ground, such as sparklers, are allowed.
If the cautionary label on the firework has the words “explosive,” “emits flaming pellets,” “flaming balls,” “firecracker,” “report” or “rocket,” it is automatically a no-go, according to the Louisville-Jefferson County Code of Ordinances.
But, smaller ones like sparklers, cylindrical or cone fountains, wheels and ground spinners are legal. Still, don’t let the size fool you − they can burn up to 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the National Fire Protection Association.
Learn more: Check out these 4th of July events taking place across Kentucky
How to use fireworks safely
The state fire marshal suggests following the following advice when using fireworks:
- Use fireworks outdoors.
- Obey local laws.
- Keep a bucket of water or a working water hose nearby.
- Use fireworks as intended and avoid altering them or combining them.
- Never relight “dud” fireworks. Wait 20 minutes and then soak it in a bucket of water.
- Spectators should keep a safe distance from the person lighting the firework (the individual lighting it should wear safety glasses).
- Alcohol and fireworks do not mix. Have a “designated adult operator.”
- Do not use homemade fireworks or illegal explosives.
- Report illegal explosives to the fire or police department in your community.
- Never allow children to play with or ignite fireworks.
- Read and follow all instructions on the label.
Former Courier Journal reporter Ana Rocío Álvarez Bríñez contributed. Reach Marina Johnson at Marina.Johnson@courier-journal.com.
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