Dear supporters,
As we close out 2024, we are amazed by our accomplishments and the amount of food we have been able to rescue from local grocers and farms and redistribute to those in need throughout the Commonwealth. The dedication to our mission from our staff, volunteers, and donors has made this a remarkable year and we are excited to share the details of our achievements in the new year. With that being said, a change is coming to Glean Kentucky in 2025.
After careful review and extensive deliberation, the Board has made the difficult decision to discontinue operations in our South Central Kentucky region of service, effective December 31, 2024. We will continue our operations in Central and North Central Kentucky. While the South Central program had many successes, the logistics and costs required to maintain that program had become unsustainable for Glean Kentucky.
This decision does not reflect the immense potential of Bowling Green and the surrounding area, nor the valuable partnerships we’ve cultivated there; rather, it is a matter of timing and resources. The support we’ve received from you—our donors, community partners, and volunteers—has been integral to our ability to serve this community, and we deeply value the collaboration we’ve shared. Nothing can change the fact that, in our 4 years of operation in South Central Kentucky, Glean Kentucky staff and volunteers have rescued over 210,000 pounds of fresh produce and connected it to 12 feeding programs in the greater Bowling Green area. We will forever be proud of what we accomplished there, and we will forever be grateful to those who made that success possible.
Though we are sad to close this chapter, looking ahead, we are confident that this difficult but necessary decision will position Glean Kentucky for a stronger future. With the leadership of our new Executive Director, Jennifer Palmer, and a renewed focus on the core of our mission, we remain committed to reducing food waste and nourishing Kentucky’s hungry in 2025 and beyond.