Hunger, Holidays & a Pandemic – Challenges facing many this season

Posted December 21, 2020 by Chris Evans at 3:33 PM

Community Food Kit program feeding hundreds of families this school year 

A 14-week new program this spring, became a school-year long program this August. 

School closures this past spring created an immediate need for our students who could no longer access our ten in-school pantries in middle and high schools. Our response was to create a Community Food Kit for the entire family. After a successful 14-week run, we were asked to offer this program again for the school year.

Four church distribution sites were converted to eight school distribution sites and we launched in mid-September. A steady increase in the number of families grew from 600 to now nearly 800 families in seven northland school districts. This second round of the program brought a pairing with a produce box.

Unexpected needs create opportunities to find solutions and this was ours! It is also unexpected for us and an expensive undertaking. Our hope is to have enough funding to continue through the end of the school year. These photos and video are from our largest distribution site at Winnetonka High School.

If you’d like to support this program, please use this link and specify the Community Food Kits

    

Food Insecurity has more than doubled this year 

A shift to all-virtual learning this spring – switched to a hybrid schedule this fall, job loss, reduced hours and prolonged illness have all contributed to the rise in the number of hungry people, particularly children. Feed Northland Kids has responded with a new program and many other nonprofits in our area have seen an uptick in clients

From large companies to small food trucks, donors help us feed local children

Partnerships are crucial for us. Check out these wonderful companies.

 

During a pandemic, in an economically challenged climate, this fabulous company
America’s Auto Auction Kansas City
(formerly KCI Auto Auction) raised an amazing amount of dollars to give to four child-focused nonprofits. Their normal route of donations for this fund were closed as no events could be held. Dedication at it’s finest – so proud to be a part of their footprint in our part of KC.

Zona Rosa continues their support with a re-imagined Santa visit event. In keeping with the spirit of giving, they asked families to donate mac and cheese cups for our pantries. 245 lbs. of mac and cheese cups and $300 later, we’re set for a bit!

The lovely couple behind Twisted Taters, saved their tips this year to donate to a few nonprofits and we were one of those selected. We’ve always liked potatoes……

Our facebook page has a few other “make you feel great” stories of donors.