United Against Hunger
With the ongoing government shutdown and disruptions to SNAP benefits leaving families without food on the table, United Way of the Plains is mobilizing the caring power of our community to ensure no one goes hungry.
Keep reading to learn where to find help if you or someone you know needs assistance, and how you can join the effort.
GET INVOLVED
Here are three easy, quick ways you can make an impact:
1. Give time.
Volunteers provide vital manpower to keep food pantries running during this time of increased need. Contact your local pantry to help sort food, assist clients, and help with general operational tasks. Consider lending a hand at one of these pantries in need of extra help:
- Angels in the Attic (109 S. Summit St., Arkansas City)
Call (620) 446-5272 - Andover Community Food Bank (1429 N. Andover Rd., Andover)
Call Mary Carson at (316) 390-6815 or sign up here. - Augusta Community Caring Center (1301 Helen St., Augusta)
Call John Pilcher at (316) 775-3342 - Dear Neighbor Ministries (1329 S Bluffview Dr., Wichita)
Apply online at dearneighbor.org/volunteer. - Living Waters Ministry (431 S. Lulu, Wichita)
Email Jay Hawes at jayhawes@firstnaz.org - Our Daily Bread (2825 S. Hillside St., Wichita)
Volunteers needed Tuesdays – Thursdays, 8 a.m. – Noon, and after hours to restock shelves.
Register online at https://www.catholiccharitieswichita.org/volunteer/new-volunteers/. - The Salvation Army Food Programs (South Central Area Command, 350 N. Market, Wichita)
View specific needs at https://centralusa.salvationarmy.org/wichita/volunteer/ - Shepherd’s Heart Food Pantry (Rolling Hills Community Church, 8605 W. Maple St., Wichita)
Contact Darrell Belyeu at (316) 722-1251.
Need help locating a pantry that fits your schedule and skill set? Want to organize a group project? Contact Amy Hawley, United Way of the Plains Volunteer Engagement Manager, at ahawley@unitedwayplains.org or (316) 267-1321, ext. 4217.
3. Give food.
Donating food directly provides immediate relief to those in need. To coordinate a food drive at your business, contact Amy Hawley, United Way of the Plains Volunteer Engagement Manager, at ahawley@unitedwayplains.org or (316) 267-1321, ext. 4217.
United Against Hunger Food Drive
On Friday, Nov. 7, United Way of the Plains hosted the United Against Hunger Food Drive. Over 4,040 pounds of food was collected for our neighbors impacted by the government shutdown and disruptions to SNAP benefits. Watch our recap video.
FIND HELP
United Way of the Plains’ 211 Information and Referral service remains a vital resource for our community during this time of uncertainty. Individuals and families seeking assistance are encouraged to contact 211, a free, confidential lifeline that connects Kansans to local resources for food, utilities, housing and more. If you are in Sedgwick County, download our one-page resource guide of basic services in English or Spanish.
Four easy ways to get connected:
Call
Dial 2‑1‑1 to talk with a resource navigator.
Calls answered Monday – Friday, 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. If help is needed after hours, a recorded message will direct you to resources.
Free, statewide
Translation services available.
Click
Search online anytime at 211Kansas.org. By entering your ZIP code, you can quickly find food pantries and other support near you.
For services in northeast Kansas counties of Doniphan, Franklin, Johnson, Leavenworth, Linn, Miami and Wyandotte: click here.
Chat
Chat online with a resource navigator.
Available Monday – Friday,
7 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Click the “Live Chat” button in the bottom right corner of this screen to get started.
BOLSTERING FOOD PANTRIES
United Way of the Plains has announced $50,000 in rapid-response funding to help 20 local food pantries meet rising demand caused by recent disruptions to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. Recipients were selected based on their strong capacity to serve, commitment to high-need communities, accessible services, and locations within the service area. They include:
“Community challenges require community solutions. Disruptions to SNAP benefits don’t just affect families, it ripples through our local economy. These grants will help local food pantries meet increased demand so our neighbors don’t have to choose between feeding their families and paying rent.”
– Pete Najera,
United Way of the Plains President and CEO
- Andover United Methodist Church
- Angels in the Attic
- Augusta Community Caring Center
- Catholic Charities, Diocese of Wichita
- The Center
- Christian Food Bank of Pratt
- Dear Neighbor Ministries
- First Baptist Church Mulvane – Gleanings
- His Helping Hands, Inc
- Kingman Area Ministries Inc Food Bank
- Living Waters Ministry
- Medicine Lodge Methodist Church
- Ministerial Association Anthony
- Norwich Methodist Church
- Rolling Hills Community Church
- The Salvation Army South Central Area Command
- Sunflower Outreach Services: Joseph’s Storehouse
- United Methodist Open Door, Inc.
- Wellington Free Will Baptist Church
- Winfield Food Pantry
United Way of the Plains continues to work closely with local nonprofits, food assistance programs, and community partners to monitor the evolving situation and ensure accurate information and resources are available for those affected by the temporary pause in SNAP benefits.
Read the full press release here.
QUESTIONS?
Media inquiries can be directed to Stacy Ward Lattin, United Way of the Plains Manager of Public Outreach and Community Engagement, at (316) 267-1321, ext. 4224, or swardlattin@unitedwayplains.org.
