United Way campaign benefits local families through partner agencies such as Aaron McNeil House

The United Way of Pennyrile’s annual fundraising campaign is trucking right along, as they look to raise money to help support 16 partner agencies across the region, including right here in Hopkinsville.

Each of those agencies has a valuable, positive impact on this community, and that includes the Aaron McNeil House, which has a mission to assist families in crisis with basic needs, including food, housing, utilities and medication—but their biggest community impact is in their food program.

Kurt Anderson helms the Aaron McNeil House and he says their Food Pantry and commodity distribution events are what people first think of when they hear about the program. But really, it all began in 1972 when two churches combined, leading to a legacy of community service.

He says the need for food supplies has increased in recent months by about 20 percent, and they’ve distributed thousands of pounds of food through their partnership with Feeding America.

Anderson says their efforts to bring food to those in need in the community wouldn’t be possible without the support of the United Way. That funding makes up roughly 30 percent of the agency’s budget, which directly supports the hungry, and those in crisis.

The United Way is looking to raise $715,000 before the campaign comes to a close in January, and you don’t have to be an agency or business to donate. Individuals can go by the United Way office at 1110 South Main Street in Hopkinsville or donate on their website, pennyrileunitedway.org.