Continuing Carole’s Legacy

Carole’s Kitchen was founded in 2009 in loving memory of Carole Watson Crawford and her daughter Meghan, whose lives were tragically cut short in an accident. What began as a tribute to their legacy has grown into a powerful movement to fight hunger and support students in Louisville.

Carole, a Louisville native, was known for her warmth, generosity, and talent for bringing people together—often around a shared meal. Her tradition of hospitality was deeply rooted in her childhood, inspired by the meals hosted by her grandparents, Dorothy and Charlie McGuire—lovingly known as Mamaw and Pawpaw. Their open table left a lasting impression on Carole, shaping her lifelong belief in food as a way to show love.

That legacy continued during her years working at Marshall University, where she welcomed students to a weekly Thursday night dinner at the Newman Center. Her table was a place where everyone felt welcome, fed, and cared for.

After the loss of Carole and Meghan, Carole’s family—led by her sister Judy Watson Gordon—channeled their grief into action. Together, they created Carole’s Kitchen to carry forward Carole’s mission of feeding and loving others. What started with weekend meal deliveries has grown into a broad effort supporting students in Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS), especially those facing food insecurity and homelessness.

One of Carole’s Kitchen’s cornerstone programs is the pantry at Seneca High School—Carole’s alma mater. Quietly opened to help students in need, the pantry has since become a dependable resource for groceries, hygiene products, and essentials, allowing students to focus on learning instead of survival.

Carole’s Kitchen also empowers others to give back, like the Seneca High School Class of 1976, which launched a monthly cooking club where students receive recipes, ingredients, and tools to prepare meals at home for themselves and their families.

Today, Carole’s Kitchen is led by her siblings—Judy Gordon, Tim Watson, Susan Graf, and James S. Watson III—with the support of many dedicated extended family members.

Through every meal served, every student reached, and every act of kindness, Carole’s legacy of love lives on.