Uniting for Heroes: Kentucky's Veteran Organizations are Fueling Hope
Leonard Harp, Army Veteran, and VA Volunteer Transportation Network Coordinator, out of Murray, KY happened to see a notice regarding the need for items for the Marion VA Food Pantry, which helps to supply the Marion VA’s other regional Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) food pantries in KY, IL, and IN.
After considering how he might help, he reached out to other local community organizations such as American Legion, American Legion Honor Guard, DAV, Marshall County, KY Veterans Support Group, and the Purple Hearts. He also checked with his local Walmart to see if they would want to participate by joining in this effort! Without hesitation, they all pooled their efforts to produce nearly $2000 dollars with to purchase food for their fellow food insecure Veterans. They all enthusiastically welcomed the opportunity and offered to do more if there were additional needs. The local Walmart also agreed to provide a generous and substantial discount on the items they purchased, thereby increasing the amount of food that could be donated to the Marion VA Health Care System. Representatives from all the organizations wanted to join the trek to the Marion VA to present and help unload the truck bed full of the donated items.
The Marion VA Health Care System serves the tri-state regional areas of Southern Illinois, Southwest Indiana, and Northwest KY. The pantries at each of Marion VAHCS CBOCS help to provide food insecure Veterans with much needed items in their time of need. The Marion VAHCS in Marion IL serves as the hub of food distribution to all the system’s pantries such as the ones in Paducah and Mayfield KY which will be beneficiaries of this generous donation and coordinated effort by caring volunteers from the all the various participating organizations!