The Salvation Army of Hopkinsville is one of 19 nonprofits in Kentucky selected to receive a $20,000 donation from the Team Kentucky Fund, Gov. Andy Beshear announced Monday.
State officials established the fund in March as the first COVID-19 cases were being confirmed in Kentucky.
Most of the money was designated for $1,000 vouchers to Kentuckians who qualified for help with rent, mortgages, utility bills and food costs. The fund raised approximately $3.77 million from 11,411 donors, according to a news release from Beshear.
In addition to the vouchers to individuals, Beshear designated $380,000 for nonprofit organizations that help “Kentucky families that are highly vulnerable due to COVID-19.”
In the release from the governor’s office, Hopkinsville Salvation Army Maj. Jose Marquez said, “The Salvation Army in Hopkinsville has been serving the community for over 100 years. Thank you for furthering our commitment to do the most good by helping those in need. When you support The Salvation Army, you’re helping to provide for the need for those most vulnerable in our community.”
The 19 nonprofits selected for Team Kentucky Fund donations are known for addressing homelessness and the opioid epidemic, two crises that the governor said compounded challenges that Kentucky families face during the pandemic.
“This gift wouldn’t be possible without the incredible generosity of Kentuckians. Going forward, let’s keep the spirit of the Team Kentucky Fund alive by donating directly to these amazing organizations or other nonprofits in our communities that speak to our hearts,” Beshear said.
The Salvation Army of Hopkinsville runs the sole overnight shelter in the community and provides free lunch daily through its soup kitchen. It also runs a food pantry that distributes groceries three days a week. The organization’s shelter, worship center, thrift store, offices and soup kitchen are on adjacent properties along East Seventh Street between Liberty and South Clay streets.
Jennifer P. Brown is co-founder, publisher and editor of Hoptown Chronicle. You can reach her at editor@hoptownchronicle.org. Brown was a reporter and editor at the Kentucky New Era, where she worked for 30 years. She is a co-chair of the national advisory board to the Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues, governing board past president for the Kentucky Historical Society, and co-founder of the Kentucky Open Government Coalition. She serves on the Hopkinsville History Foundation's board.
