Shepherds Pie Food Pantry in Magnolia Kentucky serves an average of 275 families equaling 963 people per week in LaRue and surrounding counties.

The number of families served has increased by more than 100 percent with Covid-19.

LaRue County Kentucky has an obesity rate of 34.7 percent with 16.3 percent being at or below poverty level according to data from Kentuckyhealthfacts.org.

Feeding America states that 13.8 percent are food insecure.

The LaRue County Extension Service Expanded Food and Nutrition Program (EFNEP )Assistant distributes Healthy Choices information and Healthy at Home Flyers as well as recipes ideas for fresh produce and 

Commodity  items each week.

Comments from participants included:

“ Thank you for recipe ideas, my kids loved the Garden Sloppy Joes, it helped add some fresh vegetables to their diet”

“ My family enjoys your recipes, we have been cooking at home more rather than eating fast food”

“ Your recipe suggestions and healthy eating ideas have been a blessing”

Increased knowledge of a healthy diet and recipe suggestions have increased the number of meals prepared at home as well as increased the amount of fresh fruits and vegetables consumed with  a goal of  overall better health for these families.