Who:
- Jennifer Wheeler, Nutrition Director for Marion County Public Schools
- John Cain, KY Kids Eat Program Director and No Kid Hungry Kentucky Co-Manager at Feeding Kentucky.
- Cathy Gallagher, Manager Summer Food Service Program, Kentucky Department of Education
What:
Feeding Kentucky and the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) will recognize Jennifer Wheeler – nutrition director for Marion County Public Schools – as a No Kid Hungry Summer Hunger Hero for her efforts to go above and beyond to childhood hunger. Wheeler is one of 10 honorees from across the country. She'll be recognized during the district's weekly summer meal distribution.
Summer is well known as the hungriest season of the year for children, as that is when free and reduced-price school meals disappear for the summer break. This means kids miss out on a consistent source of nutrition, and families’ already tight budgets are stretched even further. Summer programs like Summer EBT – also known as SUN Bucks – and Summer Meals can provide a true lifeline for families by filling the nutritional gap for children during the break. The 2026 Summer Hunger Heroes’ work focuses on these programs.
Wheeler has been a big sponsor of rural non-congregate summer meals in Marion County, serving more than 122,000 meals to families last year. She goes the extra mile to serve families who don’t have access to transportation or might fear attending an in-person site. Wheeler has also been key to expanding Summer EBT outreach in the county, ensuring that all kids have access to summer nutrition, regardless of where they live.
When:
Wednesday, July 29, at 4 p.m. ET.
Where:
The recognition will be at Glasscock Elementary School, which is the summer meal distribution site. However, due to traffic-related to the meal distribution, media members are asked to park at the Marion County Public Schools Board of Education building at 755 E. Main St., Lebanon.
Reporters needing help on site should contact Jason Simpson at (270) 402-9744.
|
