WICHITA, Kan. – Four organizations will receive a total of nearly $1 million in funding from the Kansas Health Foundation through the Hunger Free Kansas Transformation Grant program.

Each effort is designed to address a different aspect of the issue of food insecurity and aligns with the Hunger Free Kansas initiative, a new effort led by partners from across the state.

“Hunger and food insecurity are issues in Kansas that can no longer be ignored,” said Ed O’Malley, KHF President and CEO. “Kansas is thought of as the breadbasket of our nation, yet, in communities throughout the state, too many of our neighbors struggle to find their next meal.”

According to the latest numbers from Feeding America, 1 in 8 Kansans are classified as food insecure. Further, 1 in 5 Kansas children don’t know where their next meal will come from.

“If we’re going to turn around these negative statistics and end hunger in Kansas, it’s going to take a number of efforts by a number of organizations from a number of different sectors,” O’Malley said. “This group of funded partners represents the retail, agricultural, advocacy and local government sectors, and each has a unique way they intend to make sure no Kansan goes hungry.”

These are the four organizations receiving funding through this grant program:

• Kansas Appleseed, $350,000: To ensure that all children in Kansas have access to nutritious meals at schools in both rural and urban areas. Efforts will include working with school districts, community partners and local governments to develop tailored plans that best suit the needs of students.
• The Kansas Farm Bureau Foundation, $298,122: To establish a regional food hub in Sedgwick County.  The hub will strengthen three major components of the food system: production, processing and distribution. These efforts will also place a heavy emphasis on economic development and community engagement with a new network of stakeholders.
• Kanbe’s Markets, $276,875: To increase food access by supporting small businesses through increased buying power and creating savings for consumers on fresh fruits and vegetables. The efforts will expand the partnerships of Kanbe’s Markets into 25 stores in Wyandotte County, potentially reaching 100,000 additional residents, many of whom are living in food deserts.
• Douglas County, $50,000: To support the Indigenous Food System Study and Action Plan, which will collect the data and information needed to better serve the sizable indigenous population of the county with locally grown products and to better support indigenous food producers.

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