Greenup County Packs a Little Hope in Every Box

Greenup County Packs a Little Hope in Every Box

By Lisa Patrick

The Ashland Beacon

During her senior year at Greenup County High School, Maddie Greer became passionate about a project called Meals of Hope. In 2021, she and her fellow agriculture students rallied together and raised enough money to pack meals for local families in need. Tragically, Maddie passed away that spring in a car accident, but her spirit and her mission of service live on in the hearts of those who knew her.

Meals of Hope, a nonprofit founded in 2007, is dedicated to bringing communities together to fight hunger. What sets them apart? They're the only U.S.-based meal-packing organization that prioritizes keeping all food production within the country. Their meals are crafted for the American palate and fortified with essential vitamins, minerals, and proteins to help balance diets for those in need.

Greenup County hadn’t participated in a packing event since Maddie’s 2021 project—but this year, the agriculture students brought it back in a big way. Determined to carry the torch, they hit the ground running with creative fundraisers and sponsorships—including a hilariously heartwarming “Hogs and Kisses” event.

Here’s how it worked: Teachers' names were placed on buckets, and students voted with their spare change during lunch. The top three buckets earned their teachers a smooch with a pig—yes, a real one. On the big day, the Vice President of the school’s FFA brought in her trio of show pigs, and the Student Resource Officer, a social studies teacher, and the JROTC Sergeant each puckered up. According to ag teacher Carrie Davis, “they were good sports,” although the pig the Sergeant got was squealing up a storm. The fundraiser was a hit, bringing in nearly $1,000!

On April 8, students started their day bagging local tree seedlings, but the real excitement kicked in that evening. Agriculture students returned—joined by local groups and sports teams—to take on the main event: packing meals. This year, they opted for a chicken-flavored rice and vegetable soup. Each student had a job: rice, corn, peas, carrots, seasoning. Assembly-line style, they packed each bag, boxed them up, and rang a cowbell with gusto every time a box was completed. “It kind of became a competition,” Davis laughed. “Every table was having their own fun.”

Pulling off the event wasn't easy. With unpredictable weather and scheduling setbacks, there were moments Davis feared they’d have to postpone until next year. But this group wasn’t giving up. With determination, heart, and a little grit, they made it happen. Several of this year’s seniors had helped pack meals as eighth graders in the 4-H program back in 2021. For them, this was more than a service project—it was a full-circle moment.

The students raised $6,000 of the $6,200 needed through their fundraising efforts. Then, during a Farm Bureau meeting attended by some of the event’s sponsors, the final $200 came through—sealing the deal.

By night’s end, students and volunteers had packed an impressive 19,008 meals. The next day, Davis picked up one final bag of rice, and her students packed an additional 733 meals during class—bringing the grand total to 19,741 meals. These were distributed to local food banks, churches, and youth resource centers—including one that had completely run out of food.

As the dust settled, one question lingered among the students: Who won the competition for most boxes packed? Davis smiled and gave the perfect answer: “The needy won!”