Huddle for Hunger
A Community Effort to Tackle Food Insecurity
Charles Romans
The Ashland Beacon
The United Way is gearing up for its second annual food drive, the Huddle for Hunger, on March 15, at the Ashland, Kentucky YMCA. This event brings together local organizations and individuals to help combat food insecurity in the community, and it promises to be bigger and better than ever before!
“We started this last year, and we’re working hard to grow it into the largest food drive in the community,” said Marshall Tyson, Executive Director of United Way of Northeast Kentucky. “We want to unite everyone and tackle all areas of need in our community as a team, rather than having multiple food drives throughout the year.”
And that’s not all! United Way has partnered with Cincinnati Bengals star Cam Taylor-Britt for this exciting event. “We partner with Cam Taylor-Britt from the Cincinnati Bengals,” Tyson said. “He comes in and does autographs and pictures with people for the admission of five nonperishable food items donated to the food drive.” It’s a fantastic opportunity to meet a football hero while making a real difference in the community.
But that’s just the start of the United Way’s plans for community engagement. Tyson shared that the United Way is expanding its initiatives to include more impactful programs, like Bridge Builders. “Bridge Builders works with kids in the community,” Tyson explained. “This group is active at Boyd County High School, Fairview High School, Greenup County High School, and Paul Blazer High School.”
Tyson elaborated on the program’s mission: “It’s a recognized club, like Beta Club, where students earn community service hours to help those in need. But their main focus is becoming better citizens and better people to fill the needs in the community.” As part of their efforts, the kids are working on important campaigns such as No Bullying and No Vaping, while also taking on community projects that can make a lasting impact.
“The groups choose three projects for the year,” Tyson said. “It could be anything—a coat drive, a food drive, or whatever they decide to tackle.” This year, the program has grown tremendously. “In our second year, we have around 170 kids involved. We started in one school, and now we’re reaching eight schools, including elementary schools,” Tyson shared. “We’ve added Ashland Middle School, Charles Russell Elementary, Lewis County High School, and East Carter High School.”
The Bridge Builders kids are not just helping out—they are rolling up their sleeves and getting involved. “These kids will be there to get everything together, box everything up, and get it to where it needs to be,” Tyson said. And Cam Taylor-Britt’s involvement is also tied to the Bridge Builders Program, further connecting the community’s youth with positive role models.
The United Way’s food drive will benefit several local organizations, including the Community Kitchen, Hillcrest-Bruce Mission, and school Family Resource Centers. Once those immediate needs are met, they will also help local churches and smaller pantries. “By doing it this way, we can tackle the problem head-on,” Tyson said.
The impact of Bridge Builders has already been remarkable. Tyson proudly shared, “So far, the students have collected over 57 bags of shoes and 87 jackets. These efforts benefit any kid in need, anywhere. If Lewis County or Lawrence County needs something, the Bridge Builder kids will organize a drive to get what’s needed.” Last year, the Bridge Builders raised $28,000 through Marathon and King’s Daughters and collected 2,000 pounds of food through the Cam Taylor-Britt Event.
The kids have also organized hygiene kits and blanket drives, and they even took on the challenge of addressing a major mental health concern. “When we discovered that construction workers have the highest suicide rate in the country, our kids put together thank-you kits,” Tyson said. “They wrote letters and cards to send to construction workers, letting them know we appreciate all their service to the community.”
The excitement doesn’t end there! The VIP event for the Huddle for Hunger kicks off at 10 a.m. at the Ashland YMCA on March 15, 2025. In addition to the meet-and-greet with Cam Taylor-Britt and photo opportunities, there will also be a raffle for two Cincinnati Bengals Divisional Home Game tickets! At 11 a.m., the food drive meet-and-greet will begin, and entry is free with the donation of five nonperishable food items.
For more details on the event and to stay up to date on all the latest happenings, be sure to visit the United Way of Northeast Kentucky’s website or check them out on Facebook. So mark your calendars for March 15th—this is one event you won’t want to miss, and it’s your chance to make a real difference in the lives of those who need it most!
Comments