CAP Hunger Walk Expands to Jackson County

The Christian Appalachian Project’s annual Hunger Walk will return Thursday, September 17, 2026, at 9 a.m., bringing communities together during Hunger Action Month to raise awareness about hunger and collect food donations for CAP’s food pantry network.

This year’s walk will include multiple locations across CAP’s service area, including Fayette, Jackson, Johnson, McCreary and Rockcastle counties. Jackson County is participating for the first time, adding a local presence to an event focused on stocking pantry shelves and supporting children, families and seniors who may not have consistent access to enough food.

Food insecurity remains a persistent challenge in Jackson County and across eastern Kentucky. Feeding America’s Map the Meal Gap estimates that 2,610 people in Jackson County were food insecure in 2022, a rate of 20.1 percent. The same estimate placed the county’s average meal cost at $3.62 and its annual food budget shortfall at about $1.78 million.

Statewide and regional data show the need is broader than one county. Feeding America estimated that 837,100 Kentuckians, or 18.2 percent of the state’s population, experienced food insecurity in 2024. In central and eastern Kentucky, God’s Pantry Food Bank reported that nearly 280,000 people in its 50-county service area faced hunger in 2023, with children in many rural counties experiencing especially high rates of food insecurity.

Organizers say events like the Hunger Walk help meet immediate needs while drawing attention to the pressures families face when food costs, transportation, housing, utilities and medical expenses stretch household budgets. For many residents in rural communities, local pantries serve as an important safety net when monthly income or benefits do not cover basic needs.

Community members can help by donating nonperishable food items at designated drop-off locations, organizing food drives, registering groups to participate in the walk or making monetary contributions through Christian Appalachian Project. Donations collected through the event will support pantry shelves serving Appalachian communities throughout CAP’s network.