Hunger may not always be visible, but it’s everywhere. Despite misconceptions that food insecurity doesn’t exist in Kansas, the reality is that it’s all around us all the time.

According to Feeding America, 1 in 8 Kansans, including 1 in 5 children, are uncertain about when or where they’ll find their next meal – and whether it will be enough. Our nonprofit partners on the ground echo this sentiment, sharing stories that make one thing very clear: hunger doesn’t discriminate. We find it in working families, schools and communities across the state.

As the holiday season shines a light on generosity, giving and gratefulness, let it also highlight the challenges faced by those struggling with food insecurity. Recognizing this often invisible issue is the first step toward solving it.

Recognizing Hunger in Our Communities

Food insecurity often looks different than what people expect. There are three aspects: access to food, affordability, and nutrition.

Access, for example, is highlighted in conversations with teachers in the public school system. Most of them could probably tell you a story about a student who feels anxious or sad when the weekend or summer break approaches because there may not be enough food at home.

This isn’t a reflection of a lack of love or care from their parents. Instead, it highlights the barriers families face when resources are limited. I’m sure you – like me – are having to make tough decisions about your food budget due to the rising cost of groceries. If it’s hard for us, imagine how much harder it is for those facing economic disparities.

During the holidays, food insecurity can look like a parent working to stretch limited income and resources until payday – all the while wondering how in the world they’ll afford gifts for their children this year and what they might have to sacrifice to make the holidays happen.

We need to hear these stories.

We need to recognize hunger in our communities.

We need to understand that this issue is growing.

So we can do something about it.

Supporting Organizations Doing the Work

Many programs serving Kansans facing food insecurity are at max capacity right now. Since the pandemic, the need during this season has doubled, tripled or even quadrupled for some. They are doing incredible work, but they’re stretched thin and fighting an uphill battle without policies that support their work, help to acquire large state or Federal grants, and connections to other organizations.

As an Issue Mobilization Manager at the Kansas Health Foundation, I seek out organizations and people interested in creating solutions to fight food insecurity. I meet with people in the charitable sector, people working on policy, and organizations building infrastructure for coalitions across the state. My goal is to identify gaps where people say: “We just don’t have the time, money or energy to dedicate to this,” and then look for ways to connect them with others doing similar work.

Above all else, my job is to listen, which is what I recommend to anyone who wants to get involved, especially during the high-need holiday season. Listen to the people already doing the work before you try to act.

Our listening this year resulted in nearly $1 million in funding for four organizations fighting food insecurity in Kansas through our Hunger Free Kansas Transformation Grant program: Douglas County, Kanbe’s Markets, Kansas Appleseed and the Kansas Farm Bureau Foundation.

An additional $250,000 will fund K-State Research and Extension mini-grants, administered through extension agents in all 105 Kansas counties. These grants will do more than provide food. They’ll also open the door to more resources. For example, they might fund health workers at food pantries to help people access programs like SNAP and low-income energy assistance.

Ensuring No Kansans Goes Hungry

Right now, Kansas is ranked 16th in the nation for food insecurity. That’s not as bad as it could be, but if we were ranked 1st in the nation, more than 100,000 of our neighbors wouldn’t have to worry about where their next meal is coming from.

Until then, we will continue to work with advocacy groups, corporate partners, local coalitions, nonprofits and state health institutions through our Hunger Free Kansas initiative – the first major initiative we’re investing in under our new strategic framework. Our initial funding and management will eventually transition to standing up an organization led by an executive director who will wake up every day searching for innovative solutions to fight hunger in Kansas.

That way, in years to come, when this season is upon us, fewer and fewer Kansans will have to decide between feeding their families and celebrating the holidays.

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