Households throughout Kansas seeking food assistance have a much easier way to find help thanks to a project supported by the Sunflower Foundation.
According to the Kansas Food Bank, a new website – www.kansasfoodsource.org – is designed to help people in need of food assistance find pantry locations in their areas. The website also features a link for help applying for SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) or food stamps, along with a link for upcoming summer food sites for children.
The website lists pantries that are partner agencies of the three food banks that serve Kansas: Kansas Food Bank, Harvesters – The Community Food Network and Second Harvest Community Food Bank. In addition, pantries that are not a part of the food bank network are included along with TEFAP (The Emergency Food Assistance Program) sites – these are often referred to as government commodities supported by the USDA.
For Saline County, it lists ten pantries which include:
- Assaria Lutheran Food Pantry
- Catholic Charities of Northern Kansas
- Emmanuel Foursquare Church
- Gypsum Food Bank
- Higher Praise Food Pantry
- New Community Christian Church Food Pantry/Blessing Box
- New Jerusalem Missionary Baptist Church Food Pantry
- Salina Emergency Food Aid Bank
- Salina First Church of the Nazarene Food Pantry
- Saline County 4-H Building / USDA Emergency Food Assistance Program
“The pandemic is really what set this into motion” said Brian Walker, President & CEO of the Kansas Food Bank. “Nowhere, was there a comprehensive list of all pantries that served our state. The website was designed for a user-friendly experience to help neighbors facing food insecurity by connecting Kansans in need directly with helpful resources.”
By breaking everything down to the county level, the new website features a mapping tool which allows a resident to see exactly where each pantry is located, along with a contact phone number and any other information available, such as hours of operation or what is needed to access food.
The website is easily accessible from a mobile device or desktop computer. It is geared not only towards food insecure households, but also schools, social workers, case managers, medical professionals and anyone who is trying to find resources for people they are helping.
The three food banks serving Kansas collaborate together on efforts to fight hunger across our great state. This website is one of the many ways that together we can ensure our food insecure have access to nutritious foods.
