Nov 2, 2026

Houchens donates Thanksgiving meal boxes to families in need

One hundred boxes went to the Boys & Girls Club, while another 50 were delivered to Bridge Kentucky.

Wade Copas, director of operations at the Boys & Girls Club of Glasgow-Barren County, unloads Thanksgiving meal boxes donated by Houchens Food Group to help local families prepare for the holiday. (Brennan Crain/Barrenside)

By Brennan Crain

GLASGOW, Ky. — Dozens of Thanksgiving food boxes arrived at the Boys & Girls Club of Glasgow-Barren County on Monday as Houchens Food Group partnered with local organizations to help families prepare for the holiday.

The company donated 150 boxes filled with meal staples, including canned ham, mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, canned vegetables and canned fruit. One hundred boxes went to the Boys & Girls Club, while another 50 were delivered to Bridge Kentucky.

“I know there’s a huge need for food in our community,” said Jennifer McPherson, store manager at Houchens’ Southgate location in Glasgow. “We are honored to be able to partner with the Boys and Girls Club in our community to provide those meals they need.”

Boxes filled with Thanksgiving meal staples sit ready for distribution at the Boys & Girls Club of Glasgow-Barren County. Houchens Food Group donated 100 boxes to the club to help local families prepare for the holiday. (Brennan Crain/Barrenside)

The effort marks the second year Houchens Food Group has partnered with the Boys & Girls Club and Bridge Kentucky to provide food to families in need.

Patrick Gaunce, chairman of the Boys & Girls Club board, thanked Houchens for its continued investment in the community, saying the company’s founding family holds a special place in his heart.

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The late Ruell Houchens, a Houchens Industries executive and nephew of the company’s founder, played an instrumental role in establishing the local Boys & Girls Club.

“We like to support our community, and it just makes us, as a company, feel good to be able to do that for our local communities,” said Angela Stovall, a regional manager with Houchens Food Group.

Representatives of Houchens Food Group and the Boys & Girls Club of Glasgow-Barren County gather Monday after the donation of Thanksgiving meal boxes for local families. The effort, now in its second year, also included a donation of 50 boxes to Bridge Kentucky. (Brennan Crain/Barrenside)

The Boys & Girls Club will distribute its food boxes to families Nov. 23 and 24. Volunteers will help coordinate pickup and delivery.

“We are always accessing that support for our families, so they know they can come to us,” said Mallie Boston, CEO of the Boys & Girls Club of Glasgow-Barren County.

Bridge Kentucky will distribute its boxes after collecting information from families seeking assistance. An online form for requesting food is scheduled to open Nov. 9.