The Tyson plant closure sent shockwaves through the Lexington community, and families across the city felt the impact immediately. Jobs were lost, routines were disrupted, and uncertainty loomed.
Lutheran Family Services (LFS) is responding on two fronts: expanding its Global Roots Community Garden program to Lexington and launching the Lexington Emergency Fund, a direct support initiative helping families stabilize during an incredibly difficult transition.
Also, amidst the hardship something new is beginning to grow – an outdoor space for healing, connection, and food security.
Handy Marin Diaz is the LFS Program Manager for Refugee and Immigrant Programming with LFS and a Lexington resident with several family members who worked at the Tyson plant prior to its closing. She shared, “We’re all affected by the Tyson closure here in the Lexington community. We’ve struggled, but now we’re bringing global roots to [the community].”
Meeting Immediate Needs: The Lexington Emergency Fund
Before families can think about long-term stability, they need help getting through today. That’s why LFS launched the Lexington Emergency Fund, with a $1 million gift from a generous donor, which provides direct financial support to households impacted by the Tyson plant closure.
PHASE 1 Impact (March-April 2026)
The Phase 1 impact was fast, equitable, and deeply felt across the Lexington community. In roughly a month’s time, 1,900 applications were processed at the Lexington LFS office, 4,292 individuals were supported and $595,000 was distributed directly to community. Each approved applicant receiving $500 in direct support.
The assistance reached households speaking Spanish, Somali, English, Arabic and more – a reflection of Lexington’s rich diversity and the broad need created by the closure. Thanks to strong collaboration among community partners, outreach teams, and funders, support was quickly given to families facing urgent financial hardship.
PHASE 2 Continued Support for Families with Young Children
Phase 2 of the Lexington Emergency fund support is underway with nearly $400,000 left to disperse, this time focusing on families with young children who were directly affected by the closure.
Phase 2 Eligibility Requirements
To qualify for Phase 2 funding, applicants must:
• Have been recently laid off by Tyson Food Company in Lexington as part of the official January 20, 2026 closure
• Have at least one child age 8 or younger in the household
• Provide proof of household members (lease, DHHS benefits letter, school letter, or similar documentation
• Complete the in-person intake process at the LFS Lexington office.
Assistance amounts for phase two include $250 per eligible adult (19+), and $150 per eligible child (18 and younger), which is provided as a one-time cash assistance payment. This phase ensures that families with young children – those most vulnerable to instability –receive the support they need to stay rooted in Lexington.
Growing Community Through Global Roots
While the Emergency Fund meets immediate needs, the Global Roots Community Garden helps families rebuild connection, purpose, and long-term stability.
Jennifer Norton, who attended the Global Roots Opening ceremony on May 8 in Lexington, emphasized the importance of the program to Lexington. “The community members want Lexington to thrive, they welcome and want those folks who’ve lost their jobs to remain in town and to be part of this community,” she said.
At the Global Roots opening ceremony in Lexington, Chris Tonniges, LFS President and CEO said, “I can’t think of a better way to adapt for this community than what this mission is here, providing not only food security for those individuals who are going to be blessed by the work here today, but also an opportunity for folks to build community within the work that they’re doing here.”
The garden offers: individual and shared plots, tools, seeds, and water access, workshops on gardening and nutrition, and a welcoming space for cultural exchange.
For many participants, gardening is a return to their roots.
“Most of the people in our programs were sustenance farmers back home,” Sage Wilder, LFS Global Roots Coordinator, said. “Their seeds and their vegetables are so important to them. They’re able to bring them from their homelands and keep producing them here.”
A Community Moving Forward Together
Lexington is a resilient community—one that wants families to stay and thrive.
Between the Emergency Fund and the Global Roots Expansion, LFS is helping families stabilize today while planting the seeds for tomorrow.
Diaz said, “I hope to see many green vegetables in these plots, a lot of family members united, and a lot of community leaders being able to lend a helping hand.”
With every seed planted and every family supported, Lexington is growing something powerful: resilience, connection, and new beginnings.
