PADUCAH, KY - Local AmeriCorps members, in conjunction with the Kentucky Commission on Community Volunteerism and Service, are involved in a community-wide food drive set to run through October 30th. Non-perishable food items will be collected at Paducah municipal and business locations to help stock the food pantry at Paducah Cooperative Ministry (PCM). This year’s goal is “Five Tons of Love” or 10,000 pounds of food. 
 
The Emergency Food Pantry at PCM provided groceries over four thousand times and helped an average of 350 households in 2011. “Last year, the Make a Difference Food Drive was a huge boon to the PCM Pantry raising 9,100 pounds of food,” said Heidi Suhrheinrich, PCM Executive Director. “With the continued help and support of the generous people in our community, we’re hoping to do even better this year.”

AmeriCorps is a state and national service program that helps communities across Kentucky and the nation address critical needs through a network of partnerships with local and national nonprofit groups. This year, five AmeriCorps/Build Corps members are serving at three sites in Paducah: two at Paducah Cooperative Ministry, two at Midtown Alliance of Neighbors, and one at Merryman House Domestic Violence Shelter. BuildCorps will compete with other AmeriCorps teams across Kentucky to see who can raise the most food in their area. The winning team will receive the special “Make a Difference Day Traveling Award” from KCCVS, which remains with the winning community program for one year. Last year, Kentucky AmeriCorps programs across the state collected 81.89 tons of food.
Community members are invited to participate in the Paducah drive by bringing nonperishable food items to PCM now or to any of these participating Paducah locations October 5th- 30th:

Lowertown

•Etcetera Coffeehouse, 320 N. 6th Street

Downtown

•Etcetera Squared Coffeehouse,118 S. 2nd Street
•McCracken County Public Library, 555 Washington Street 
•McCracken County Courthouse, 301 S. 6th Street
•Owen Cleaners, 10th & Kentucky
•Crash Comics, 12th & Jefferson

Midtown

•Midtown Market, 3000 Broadway
•Personal Touch Salon, 608 S. 27th Street

Mall area

•J Bella’s Pizzeria, 2406 New Holt Road
•Walker Stone, Inc., 3950 Olivet Church Road
•Tractor Supply, 5525 U.S. 60 
•Energy Fitness, 2343 New Holt Road

Lone Oak

•Walgreens, Hannan Plaza
•Snap Fitness, 2540 Lone Oak Road

Southside

•Paducah Cooperative Ministry, 402 Legion Drive
•Walgreens, 3360 Irvin Cobb Drive
•Snap Fitness, 3215 Irvin Cobb Drive

Some local neighborhoods will be targeted for a “Trick or Treat for Food” Program. Empty grocery sacks will be left at homes and then picked up on a prearranged future date from those porches with a filled sack(s) with food for the drive. Cash donations can also be accepted at Paducah Cooperative Ministry and will be used to purchase food.

To request a food collection bin at your location or “trick or treat” bags, volunteer to help with the drive, or receive more information, contact Paducah Cooperative Ministry at 442-6795. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/#!/pcmfooddrive.