The God’s Pantry Food Bank, located in Lexington, Kentucky, received an unusual donation from a local industrial vehicles dealer last month: A forklift.
The donation was the result of a recommendation from Pete Sackleh, a sales rep at ProLift Industrial Equipment who also is a volunteer at the food bank, Kentucky’s largest.
The refurbished forklift currently is being used at the food bank’s facility in Winchester, Kentucky, but it will soon be moved to God’s Pantry’s new distribution center in Morehead when it opens later this year.
The food bank handles a variety of donated and purchased food items, such as frozen, refrigerated and shelf-stable food. It also distributes personal care and paper products to people in need. Sources of food include the USDA, food manufacturers, local produce growers, community organizations and businesses. Once food arrives at its facility, staff and volunteers sort, repack and store it in its warehouse, which can house up to 2 million pounds of food.
The food bank has a network of more than 300 member agencies, including local food pantries, soup kitchens and shelters, which can order the food they need from available inventory via an online ordering system. God’s Pantry provides more than 121,400 meals per day for hungry people throughout 50 counties in Eastern and Central Kentucky.