Barren County is ranked #31 according to the Stacker poll in Feeding America with a child food insecurity rate of 23.2% with the number of food insecure children being 2,430.  This is a concern of a Barren County 4-H member who received a $500 grant from the Sodexo Foundation for Stop Hunger Program in conjunction with Barren County 4-H to participate in Global Youth Service Day. She chose the BC Reads and Feeds program to help address this issue. This program is designed to eliminate hunger in the summer months when food can be scarce since children are not in school getting the benefits of free breakfast and lunch.  In addition to having open cafeterias throughout Barren County, two busses and three vans travel to over 35 different locations to deliver breakfast, lunch, and free books for children of all ages. 

Sponsored through the National Summer Feeding Program, the breakfast and lunch served to children under 18 is free...But, the family meal kits delivered on Fridays in big red bags, the bus, the books, & the sports/recreation equipment given to children at no charge are part of a larger community effort funded through donations.

The Barren County 4-H’er placed donation jars throughout the county, had a drop off book and canned food drive, a 4-H Cloverbud Workshop about nutrition with donations and placed flyers throughout the county.  She received $1,000 in donation with 45 pounds of food and 76 books to be used for the summer.