LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Following a year of social distancing, the Fayette County Sheriff's Office, Lexington Police Department and God's Pantry Food Bank teamed up and delivered 160 boxes of food to residents in Lexington's East End neighborhood Monday morning.
"The box contains fresh produce milk, butter, some yogurt, some potatoes. It came from the federal government. The USDA Department of Ag supplies these boxes for us," said God's Pantry Food Bank Program community Developer Mary Alice Daniels.
Fayette County Sheriff Kathy Witt explained the food drop effort was a collaboration.
"God's Pantry has been very gracious to us and continuing their partnership with law enforcement to help get food out into neighborhoods that need it the most," Witt said.
Sheriff Witt explained the partnership came out of a pandemic project.
"We saw that God's Pantry was partnering with the Northside Library and some other organizations that we've worked with through Operation Compassion during the pandemic in which we were delivering lots of food on their behalf as residents," said Witt, "And we wanted that partnership to continue so we just called and said, 'Hey, what if?' And so they graciously took us up on the offer."
Lexington Police Chief Lawrence Weathers explained the Breckenridge Street and Chestnut Street location in the East End was chosen by his department and the Sheriff's Office as their officers and deputies spend time in the area and "see people in need."
"We went door to door to every resident on Chestnut; every resident on Breckenridge. If nobody was home, we left a flyer. We've had phone calls over the weekend for people signing up," explained Witt.
"We don't need people to see law enforcement doing what they traditionally think law enforcement does," said Chief Weathers. "We need them to see us as also people who are here to help and to also partner with the community. And I think it's a good thing, you know, that officers get out and they knock on doors and they talk to people. And when we got a chance like this to help people, we need to jump on it."
