Quarles hails generosity of Kentucky's business community

FRANKFORT (Feb. 17, 2023) – An evening dedicated to raising awareness about food insecurity and raising money for three key groups with the mission to stamp out hunger in Kentucky was hailed as a great success. The Serving Up Solutions dinner, now in its fifth year, was the last under Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles as he finishes up his second term this year.

Proceeds from the dinner benefited Feeding Kentucky, Kentucky Hunters for the Hungry, and Glean Kentucky.

“When I started as Ag Commissioner more than seven years ago, one of my first missions was to address the food insecurity across the state,” Commissioner Quarles said. “While this is my last Serving Up Solutions dinner as your ag commissioner, I’m humbled and honored at the turnout this year. Thanks to our corporate and government partners, we were able to raise money to feed Kentucky’s less fortunate and raise awareness of the problem of chronic food insecurity in the commonwealth. We are deeply grateful to our guests, our sponsors, and everyone who had a hand in making this event a complete success.”

Aetna Better Health Kentucky was the presenting sponsor of the event, which saw state legislators serve as hosts putting politics aside for the purpose of raising money for Kentucky’s hungry.

“Feeding Kentucky is proud to be part of such a wonderful event that raises awareness and dollars to feed our most precious resource in Kentucky, our families,” said Katrina Miller, executive director of Feeding Kentucky. “Thank you to all sponsors, participants, the Commissioner, and the entire Department of Agriculture for a phenomenal night.”

“Kentucky Hunters for the Hungry would not have experienced the growth and success of its mission without being part of Commissioner Quarles’ Hunger Initiative,” said Roger LaPointe, executive director of Kentucky Hunters for the Hungry. “We are grateful to have been part of the program and its success and look forward to continue working with the many programs we have been involved with and the people we have met.We thank Commissioner Quarles for his forward thinking and his dedication to the people of the commonwealth.”

“Glean Kentucky is grateful for the ongoing support of Serving up Solutions, Commissioner Quarles, and the Kentucky Department of Agriculture,” said Ben Southworth, executive director of Glean Kentucky. “The fantastic attendance at this year's event is a testament to the incredible hunger-relief work being done by agencies all over Kentucky, and the funds it raised ensure we're able to continue growing the impact of our mission throughout the commonwealth.”

The Hunger Initiative is a first-of-its-kind effort in Kentucky that Commissioner Quarles launched in the spring of 2016 to bring together farmers, charitable organizations, faith groups, community leaders, and government entities to look for ways to reduce hunger in Kentucky. For more information on the Hunger Initiative, go to kyagr.com/hunger.

Map the Meal Gap 2020, an annual study by Feeding America, revealed that nearly one in every seven Kentuckians – including one in six children – was food insecure, meaning that consistent access to adequate food is limited by a lack of money and other resources at times during the year.