Paducah Cooperative Ministry

06/04/2026

Today is an incredible day to SHARE our congratulations with PCM's Support Services Coordinator, Chaka Nicholson, as she graduates Leadership Paducah Class #39!

Day in and day out she continues to thrive and serve our neighbors here at the food pantry, our residents at Fresh Start Village, and McCracken County as a whole. We are all so proud of her!

You can help support her Leadership class project for one more month at leadershippaducahproject.com

Congratulations Chaka! 💚

06/04/2026

06/03/2026

Something we are asked daily is: "What does homelessness look like in our area? What do you think the reason is?"

While the solution is infinitely more complicated, the answer is often very simple: they don't have a home.

Today, it looks like a mother swinging with her kids on our playground at Fresh Start Village. A breath of fresh air, a break from the world. We believe that poverty doesn't have to be punishment, and many of the faces of homelessness are those that you regularly see and would never know of.

In 2025, Fresh Start Village provided shelter to 157 individuals consisting of 91 adults and 66 children. 97%(!!!!!) of guests were able to exit with sustainable income. 68% of guests were able to exit with their own housing secured. All of this amounted to 19,715 individual nights of shelter for our neighbors. We couldn't have made it happen without you.

Shelter inquiries alone rose from 74 per month in 2024 to 120 per month in 2025. PCM will continue to prioritize connection, dignity, and resident voices through workshops, on campus-therapy services, and advisory council meetings with residents to restore empowerment and agency to those we serve.

Do we have enough resources to fight all issues of hunger and housing in our community? No, we don't.

Do we have enough hands to help, hearts to care, and a clear path forward? We believe it, and we'll keep fighting for it together.

You can learn more about what we do at sharepcm.org or you can access our 2025 Annual Report directly here:https://sharepcm.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/2025-PCM-Annual-Report.pdf

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06/02/2026

Our executive director was featured on this episode, make sure to give it a listen!

Lacy Boling is executive director of Paducah Cooperative Ministry. The agency provides a variety of help and resources for individuals and families in need.

06/02/2026

Thank you to Darlene Mazzone of Paducah Life Magazine for covering the Paducah Area Chamber of Commerce Leadership Paducah Class #39 project to benefit Fresh Start Village in their recent Around & About series!

Through comprehensive services, including life skills workshops, job readiness training, financial planning, and access to essential resources, Fresh Start Village provides the tools for lasting stability. In 2024, Fresh Start Village served 91 adults and 70 children, with 69 families successfully transitioning into stable housing and a brighter future.

The class is currently seeking contributions to upgrade the Fresh Start Village Welcome Center, which also serves as a valuable community center. Funds raised will be used to enhance the interior and exterior of the building and will include vinyl siding, deck construction, shutters, vinyl fencing, and an interior kitchen remodel.

To make an online contribution, visit leadershippaducahproject.com OR checks can be dropped off or mailed to Paducah Area Chamber of Commerce, 300 S. 3rd Street, Paducah, KY 42002.

Information about Fresh Start Village can be found at sharepcm.org

06/01/2026

The Peggy and Fred Paxton Challenge is here with a new name and a new logo!

​The Community Foundation of West Kentucky partners with donors to maximize charitable giving, support the work of nonprofits, cultivate sustainability, and address issues through collaboration, improving the quality of life for present and future generations.

Each year, CFWK grants more than $5 million to local nonprofit organizations. The Foundation also works with donors to create and grow endowment funds that will provide a source of funds for our community for generations to come.

In its 25th year, the newly renamed Challenge honors the volunteerism and philanthropy of both Peggy and Fred Paxton, who contributed substantially to countless causes in our region.

Paducah Cooperative Ministry is proud to have participated in this event each year and proud to invest in our future with you and the Community Foundation of West Kentucky.

To donate:

https://cfwk.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create?funit_id=3311&grant_cycle_id=1100

Send a check directly to the Community Foundation, PO Box 7, Paducah, KY 42002, with PCM in the memo line

05/29/2026

School is out and summer is here, so it’s important to know options you have in our community to help keep them fed and we wanted to SHARE some that have been announced. If you know of more, please comment below so our neighbors can be aware too! 💚

Feeding Kentucky Summer EBT Program
https://feedingky.org/sebteligibility/
Summer EBT provides $120 of extra grocery benefits to eligible children over the summer, available to families who could use support buying food. Most eligible children are automatically enrolled, but some will need to apply. Click the link above to register or check enrollment!

Paducah Public Schools
Paducah Public Schools provide free breakfast and lunch for anyone 0-18 years of age in June and July. Their Summer Feeding Kick-Off Celebration will be on Thursday, June 4th from 11am-1pm at Paducah Middle School. This launch party will also provide information about their full summer feeding schedule and mobile locations.

McCracken County Public Schools
McCracken County Public Schools has updated its Summer Nutrition Program meal service for Summer 2026. During the months of June & July, on-site feeding will only be available to students registered to attend camps and/or activities at their schools. The district will provide 7-day shelf stable breakfast and lunch meal bags on Tuesdays only from June 2 through July 28 at Lone Oak Middle School and Reidland Elementary School. Registered students can stop by from 11am-1pm, and non-pre-registered students from 12:30pm-1pm while supplies last.

05/27/2026

Paducah Cooperative Ministry would like to offer our sincere condolences and appreciation as we learn of the passing of an original and integral piece of PCM Leadership, Dr. James Shumaker.

Dr. Shumaker served as the first ever treasurer for PCM, along with being the first representative of St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church. Comprised of Reverend Tim Taylor, Suzanne Listemann, Reverend William Bailey, Bob Greshman, and Dottie Toy, the establishment of an emergency food pantry at the Friedman Community Center was their first major accomplishment together.

Through his time in the US Naval Medical Corps, PCM Service, McCracken County Humane Society Board, and Western Kentucky Mental Health Board, Dr. Shumaker was able to make incredible impacts and improvements that will last lifetimes here in Paducah and McCracken County.

Through his work that laid our foundation, we will continue to honor his legacy to provide for our neighbors and bring them food, shelter, and a community to be proud of. 💚

05/25/2026

Today we are so grateful to our friends over at Reidland Church who chose to SHARE their Funday Monday community service with our residents at Fresh Start Village, even on holiday time!

Both children and their parents cooked, cleaned, and created memories - and that's everything the PCM Community is about. 💚