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Truck driver David Arnett calls Ale-8 his “morning milk,” and many Clark Countians who were weaned on the ginger-flavored soft drink know what he means.

Friday morning, the Ale-8-One Bottling Company in Winchester made a big gift to those in need in Kentucky when Arnett delivered 9,200 single-serving, 12-ounce cans of their beverage to God’s Pantry’s warehouse in the Winchester Industrial Park.

DeAnne Elmore, a spokesperson for the local company, said Ale-8 may not be milk, eggs or bread, but to be able to enjoy an “unexpected beverage treat” just might “brighten somebody’s day.”

Typically, when Ale-8 makes donations of their soft drinks, it’s a few cases to schools, church groups or nonprofits, in association with some event, but because of the coronavirus, those activities have been suspended.

So the company thought about how it could do charitable giving. It decided on Feeding Kentucky, the association of food banks, and one of its biggest recipients, God’s Pantry of Lexington, which serves 50 counties throughout Central and Eastern Kentucky.

“It seemed like a good way to serve a lot of different people,” Elmore said. “When we found out there was a warehouse right here in Winchester,” they thought that was “a wonderful tie-in for us.”

“Everybody deserves a treat,” Misty Beard, a spokesperson for God’s Pantry agreed.

“We really appreciate it,” she said. “At a time when we find so many people in our community are finding themselves in a new position where they’re needing food assistance because of job losses and COVID-19, we’re just really grateful for companies like Ale-8 … helping us support Kentucky families.”

Beard said the food charity has seen a 35 percent increase in need in the last few weeks.

God’s Pantry, a member of the Feeding Kentucky association of food banks, serves more than 400 food programs.