By: Tommy Druen
Guest Columnist
I’m having a love affair.
It’s no secret—my wife is fully aware. In fact, she’s often my willing accomplice. Sometimes, we sneak away in the morning. Other times, we rendezvous in the afternoon. But more often than not, our adventures take place late at night, after the kids are asleep.
Yes, I’m in love—with food.
Now, I hesitate to call myself a “foodie.” That term carries a certain air of pretension I find unappealing. While I won’t turn down a gourmet meal, I’m just as comfortable at a ramshackle food truck or a barbecue joint that looks like the health department might condemn it any minute. Great food isn’t about price or setting; it’s all about flavor.
But food is more than just a pleasurable experience. It has deeper meaning, as my friend and pastor, Patrick DeVane, reminded me with a story about World War II and bread.
During the Blitz, when the German Luftwaffe relentlessly bombed London, many children were orphaned overnight. As soon as these children were found, they were taken into orphanages. Unsurprisingly, they had trouble sleeping. Despite all efforts, nothing helped—until someone discovered a simple solution: if the children held a piece of bread in their hands as they slept, they rested easier. When one older child was asked why this comforted them, he said it was twofold: holding the bread meant they had already eaten that day, and it promised they would have something to eat the next day.
That story resonated with me. Food is nourishment, yes, but it’s also security—sometimes in ways we don’t fully understand. For some, food is a favorite pastime. For others, like those children, food represents survival.
Unfortunately, that security is not a reality for everyone. This past month, I attended a fundraising event for the AMEN House in Georgetown, Kentucky. For 34 years, the AMEN House has been working to alleviate hunger in Scott County. Their mission is simple, but the work is anything but easy. It requires immense dedication and coordination—and despite all efforts, hunger is a battle that can never be fully won.
One of the evening’s speakers, Olivia Gillis, who works with the Family Resource and Youth Service Center, shared a powerful story. She spoke about the local backpack program, which provides food to children in need during the weekends. While schools can ensure meals during the week, many children go without adequate food once they leave on Friday. Olivia’s office coordinates with charities like the AMEN House to fill backpacks with food for the weekend. She recalled one middle school student who was thrilled to find a box of spaghetti in their backpack.
As I sat there, picking at a plate of brisket I thought had too much fat, I was hit with a wave of guilt. A box of spaghetti, even with the rising cost of groceries, still costs less than a dollar. And yet, for some, it represents more than a meal—it’s a lifeline.
According to Feeding Kentucky, over 200,000 children in our state—nearly 20%—experience food insecurity. This isn’t just about not knowing what’s for dinner. It’s about not knowing if there will be dinner.
Even Anne Frank, in her short but profound life, understood this harsh reality. “Hunger is not a problem,” she wrote. “It is an obscenity. How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.”
For me, I am pledging to not wait another single moment. And I hope it is something you will consider as well.
We are fortunate to have so many organizations across Kentucky, like the AMEN House, that refuse to give up in the fight against hunger. I encourage you to find your local organization and get involved. Your support, whether through time, money, or advocacy, could make all the difference. In some cases, it could be a matter of life and death.
