KFC Is Fighting Food Insecurity With Free Chicken From A Food Truck

It doesn't matter who you are, where you're from, or what you believe — everybody should be entitled to food. As simple as that fact is, food shortages prolonged by the COVID-19 pandemic and this year's monumental rise in food prices has made it unnecessarily difficult for families to keep food in the table. Per American Progress, 14 million United States households struggled to eat in 2020, and that number remarkably increased to 24 million in June 2022. Although 7 million of these families receive SNAP aid, they still grapple with providing sustenance for themselves and others living under their roofs.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the states that suffer the most are West Virginia, Kentucky, South Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas. About 10.4% of all states meet the U.S. average of food insecurity, while residents of 14 states and Washington D.C. face less food insecurity than the average American. 

With these stats in mind, Kentucky-based chicken company KFC has recently announced intentions to step up and help out families who are currently in need of food.

KFC will is joining forces with Blessings in a Backpack to create the KFC Sharemobile for the holiday season (via press release). This food truck will be stopping in three cities (Chicago, Orlando, and Houston) to provide 70,000 meals for families. The tour, which kicks off on December 5, and is also partnering up with children's schools to pass out gifts to those especially in need. "The generous donations from KFC could not have come at a better time, as these communities have been particularly hard-hit this year with rising food costs, inflation and various natural disasters," Erin Kerr, Blessings in a Backpack CEO, said.

Blessings in a Backpack is a non-profit organization that has spent more than 3 million weekends feeding children in 44 states and Washington D.C. Those who wish to help can volunteer at one of its 1,118 locations or donate to help feed a child on weekends during the school year.