Brittany Griffith has been running a food bank out of her salon for nearly four years. With rising uncertainty around the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, she decided to take action.

Griffith’s salon, Addiction’s Salon and Spa, hosted a food drive Thursday, offering free bags of fresh ingredients from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

“It started from a basket, to a couple of shelves… Now it’s progressed to 50 with poultry this week, next week it will be 50 with sausage.” Griffith said. 

The salon has kept a pantry box outside for a while, but it has seen more use now than ever.

“I can fill it up and it’s gone in a day, now it’s getting to the point where it’s twice a day,” Griffith said. 

Griffith connected with the Kentucky Ag Development Agency to secure donations of produce and meat from local farms, including Hodge Family Farm, Black Roots Farm, and Need More Acres.

Emily Dearing, a Bowling Green resident of 12 years, came to the salon for a bag of food for the first time Thursday.

“With the government barely opened up and no income right now at my household, it helps a lot,” Dearing said. 

Dearing also said her view on the government amid these cuts to assistance has worsened. 

“They do a lot of talking and no action. They say one thing, and then it’s a whole other ball game.” Dearing said

Griffith encourages WKU students to make use of the pantry. As a former student herself, she said she knows what it’s like to be struggling in college financially.

“I’ve been to that point, I’ve not had it at all,” Griffith said. “It could be me tomorrow honey, you never know.”

Another drive will be hosted on Nov. 19, anyone in need can sign up through the salon’s Facebook page. Donations are also accepted whenever the salon is open.