District 5 – Linda Grimes, director
The small town of Magnolia, KY lies on the southern border of the Nolin service territory in Nolin’s District 5 where LaRue County meets neighboring Hart County.
At the heart of this community is an organization that has been serving its residents in need since 2009. Shepherd’s Pie Food Pantry began when Bill and Fran Dowell noticed area families with limited food while working their mail routes. They began the pantry with a gallon of milk, a loaf of bread and a dozen eggs.
Since that time, the organization has grown significantly. Now housed at Magnolia Cumberland Presbyterian Church, it has 20 active volunteers that unload, unpack, sort and distribute food to hundreds of local families each week.
From January 1, 2021 through November 16, 2021, the organization provided over 100 tons of supplemental foods to 12,379 families and 34,468 individuals. 70% of the families they serve come from LaRue County while 30 % come from Hart County.
In addition, the LaRue County Extension Service provides weekly support and information on nutritious food choices.
Volunteer Gil Myers explains that to save money, the group picks up food at Feeding America using a donated flatbed farm truck and trailer. This all-volunteer organization relies on grants and donations to help supplement food for areas families when times are difficult.
We highlighted Shepherd’s Pie Food Pantry in this month’s Nolin News in Kentucky Living. Shepherd’s Pie was one of the recipients of a 2021 Operation Round-Up grant that went to purchasing fresh milk for 1,838 families served by the pantry over the course of two months. For these struggling local families, milk is a fresh staple that can be very hard to come by.
The food pantry drive thru is on Tuesdays from 3-6pm at the church. Volunteers are always welcome and donations can be mailed to Shepherd’s Pie Food Pantry PO Box 1 Magnolia, KY 42757.
