Serving up Food, Nutrition, and Compassion

The Louisville Water Service Board’s first big initiative of 2024 will help feed hundreds of local families. The philanthropic board organized a food drive to benefit Dare to Care, which typically sees a larger demand for meals in the summer when kids are out of school.

“During the school year, we put out between 22 (thousand) and 25,000 kid meals in a month. During the summer, specifically between mid-June through the end of July, those six weeks, we’re putting out between 28 (thousand) and 32,000 kid meals in a week,” shared Dare to Care Executive Chef Teresa White.

In just about two months, Louisville Water employees donated roughly $370 and 24 boxes of canned goods and non-perishable items. It was a heartwarming response for Corporate Risk Coordinator Sonja Minch and Security Specialist Justin Capps who presented the idea to fellow Service Board members earlier this year.

Minch said, “I am very fortunate to be in a position to give back to those struggling to put food on the table. No one should be hungry; I just don’t want anyone to be hungry.”

In addition to collecting food, the Service Board toured the Dare to Care Kitchen in west Louisville, where a team of seven works every day with a passion for creating meals that not only taste good but are healthy.

“Everybody deserves good food. Regardless of what your zip code is, regardless of where you live, regardless of what your household looks like, everybody deserves good quality, delicious, nutritious food,” Chef White said. “We feel very strongly about that here. We train to make every single bite as nutrient dense as we can.”

White said they serve 13 counties in our area which includes about 50 Kids Café sites during the summer. Because they don’t know what their other meals contain, they place an extra emphasis on incorporating fruits and vegetables in the meals.

White’s plea to the community is, “I think it’s imperative for us to make this more personal. The face of hunger looks just like you, (it) looks just like me. The people who are hungry are in every single zip code including our wealthiest neighborhoods. Somebody in those neighborhoods, because we don’t know what’s happening behind closed doors, needs us.”

Like many nonprofits, Dare to Care relies on donations and volunteers who donate their time. Learn more about how to get involved.

Throughout the month of June, the Louisville Water Service Board is hosting a shoe drive for WaterStep, a local organization which works to provide safe, clean water in developing countries. You can support this effort by bringing your new or gently used (not moldy or muddy) shoes to our corporate office at 550 South Third Street in downtown Louisville. You’ll find a donation box in our lobby.