When we think of the poor and impoverished, images of rice bowls and Third World countries flitter across our minds.

But what happens when the poor live in our very backyards?

Data from 2013 revealed that Kentucky has the fifth-highest poverty rate in the United States. Abstract statistics are always rather difficult to fully comprehend, so let me show you what those statistics look like in the lives of real people.

I interviewed Nancy Federico, an AmeriCorps member, who works with Grow Appalachia. She partners with the organization to help address food insecurity in Union County, Kentucky, where 28.5% of residents live in poverty. While Union County has attempted various measures to address the poverty of its citizens, including backpack programs, food pantries and soup kitchens, for various reasons these measures often fall short of success.

Nancy believes food security needs to be taken a step further than handing out bags of food over the weekend. She wholeheartedly believes in the old adage, "Give a man a fish, feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, feed him for a lifetime." Through her efforts, she seeks to empower the poor of Union County to learn to grow their own food so they no longer have to go to bed at night wondering if they will eat the next day.

Nancy's work focuses primarily on those who need help helping themselves. The demographics she works with include not only children, but senior citizens and the disabled. She builds and coordinates community gardens throughout the county. In addition to helping people learn to garden, Nancy takes things back a step further and encourages plant education. Skills such as plant identification, which our great-grandparents and ancestors knew as second nature, are foreign to current generations, and must be learned. Nancy aims to bring back the Victory Gardens of the 1940s, where people are able to provide their own food instead of having to depend on others.

Unfortunately, programs by individuals such as Nancy are often thwarted by ill-prepared counties and general ignorance. For example, growing a community garden in the town square is an excellent idea, but how will it benefit disabled individuals who have no access to transportation? What about poor families who cannot afford cars or gas money? What about the children who cannot drive, whose parents are too hooked on drugs to provide?

These gardens, which are devoted to the poor, are run by both the poor and volunteers. Unfortunately, the poor are already trapped in situations that prevent them from easily accessing these gardens and there are only so many volunteers.

It is difficult to imagine the struggles of our neighbors, when our biggest food concerns are whether we are more in the mood for Chinese or Mexican. But these gardens can only continue through the open hearts and willing hands of volunteers. If you are interested in getting involved, contact your local community or Grow Appalachia. They offer a variety of programs from internships to jobs. You can easily provide for yourself while giving back to your community.

More importantly, if you know anyone who is hungry, spread the word. Let them know that there are options that there is hope. Get them in touch with Grow Appalachia, a group passionate about helping the hungry, so they can get help.

Life is no fun when you're hungry.

For more information, contact:

Nancy Federico: nfederico42406@gmail.com

David Cooke (Grow Appalachia): 859-985-3941

Union County Community Garden Coalition: 270-446-9518