Wichita, Kan. – Eighty-seven nonprofit organizations across Kansas will receive mini grants for as much as $5,000 to fund their innovative ideas for combating hunger and food insecurity. The grants total $423,685 and are part of a mass action campaign the Kansas Health Foundation (KHF) launched in April to advance the work of its Hunger Free Kansas initiative.

“Hunger Free Kansas was created by the Kansas Health Foundation as a way for organizations to collaborate and work toward a shared goal of ending hunger in Kansas.

We were blown away by the number of Kansas organizations that applied to get involved in this endeavor and are excited to see their experimental solutions implemented to make progress on food insecurity,” said Lindsay Wilke, associate director of network mobilization for the Kansas Health Foundation.

Kansas nonprofits and community partners that applied for the Hunger Free Kansas Mass Action Grants were asked to submit innovative ideas that address hunger and food insecurity and fit into one of four categories:

1. Cross-Sector Learning: Increase shared understanding, shared vision and shared momentum between the private, nonprofit and government sectors.
2. School-based Nutrition Programs: Opportunities to work with schools to maximize nutrition programs.
3. Alternative Food Systems: Addressing gaps in access, production, processing, distribution, or food recovery.
4. Social Services Access: The need to connect charitable food efforts to other social services and safety nets in a community.

Now that the projects have been approved, the Kansas Leadership Center (KLC) is providing support and training to grantees by hosting a one-day “Strategy Lab” – a full-day workshop – designed to strengthen plans and provide hands-on tools for effective collaboration. Participating organizations can receive up to an additional $1,000 for travel expenses.

“KLC’s mass action strategy is built on the belief that progress happens when folks from a variety of backgrounds, each with unique ideas, unite in a shared direction—learning, challenging, supporting and inspiring one another to act. We’re thrilled to partner with the Kansas Health Foundation on this critical issue and look forward to sharing what we’re learning along the way,” said Shaun Rojas, senior director of civic engagement at KLC.

The Kansas organizations selected for the Hunger Free Kansas grants are:

• Apostolic Assembly of the Faith in Jesus Christ
• Armourdale Renewal Association
• Avenue of Life Inc.
• Barber County United, Inc.
• Barton County Community College
• Bennington Family Center
• Beyond Barriers, KS
• Caney Valley Agape Network, Inc.
• Chase County Care and Compassion (C4 Food Pantry)
• CHWC, Inc.
• Citizens Foundation
• Communities in Action
• Crisis Center of Dodge City
• Dear Neighbor Ministries, Inc.
• Despensas Nueva Cosecha
• Dodge City High School
• Eastside Community Development Center, Inc.
• Ecumenical Campus Ministries, Inc.
• El Centro
• Esol & Diversity
• Feeding Healthy Families
• Finney County Community Health Coalition
• First Presbyterian Church, Salina
• First United Methodist Church, Pittsburg
• First United Methodist Church, Fredonia
• Flint Hills Food Recovery
• Food Equality Initiative
• Fort Hays State University
• Full Circle Tenant Services, Inc.
• Genesis Inc. of Coffeyville
• Grace United Methodist Church, Inc.
• Greater Manhattan Community Foundation
• HealthCore Clinic, Inc.
• Heartland Medical Clinic
• ICT Treehuggers Foundation
• Johnson County Department of Health and Environment
• Kansas Children’s Service League
• Kansas Permaculture Institute
• KC for Refugees
• Kids Can Cook!
• Lucretia Calonder
• Mid-America All-Indian Museum
• Ministerio Nuevos Comienzos-Iglesia de Dios
• Mirror, Inc. – Shawnee
• Mirror, Inc. – Newton
• Mitchell County Hospital
• Mitchell County Regional Medical Foundation
• Nado Hunger Free
• Neighbor to Neighbor on Cedar Street
• Nueva Esperanza
• Ogden Community Food Forest
• Omni Circle Group, Inc.
• Pete’s Garden
• Prairie Rose Community Garden
• Redemptorist Social Services Center
• Salus Mas Bienestar
• SCK Health Foundation
• Sent, Inc.
• Shepherds Center of Kansas City, Kansas, Inc.
• Sheridan County Hospital
• Stafford County Economic Development, Inc.
• Sue’s Safe Haven, Inc.
• The Center, Inc.
• The Climate and Energy Project, Inc.
• The Hub Argentine, Inc.
• The Mirror, Inc. – Wichita
• The Salvation Army
• Tri-Agency Intervention
• United Way of Harvey and Marion Counties
• United Way of Reno County
• University of Kansas School of Medicine – Wichita
• University United Methodist Church
• Urban League of Kansas
• Urban Produce Push
• USD 368
• USD 445 Coffeyville
• VEGGIE VOYAGE: Discover, Cook and Savor
• Victory Fellowship Church
• Warrior’s Ranch
• Whole Truth Tabernacle, Inc.
• Wichita African Union, Inc.
• Wichita Public Library
• Wichita State University Foundation
• Wichita State University Foundation/Health and Wellness Coalition
• Wilson Medical Center Foundation
• Woodlawn United Methodist Church
• WSU Tech Foundation

The projects funded by the mini grants will start following the Strategy Lab training session on July 25. Learn more about Hunger Free Kansas at hungerfreekansas.org.

###

About the Kansas Health Foundation
The Kansas Health Foundation (KHF) is a nonprofit organization based in Wichita but statewide in its focus. At KHF, all our work centers on our mission: to improve the health of all Kansans. As part of a new strategic framework, developed by our staff and board of directors, KHF also strives to accomplish three primary purposes: empower Kansas to lead the nation in health; eliminate the inequities that create health disparities; and, for KHF to become THE model for philanthropic impact. Learn more at kansashealth.org.

About the Kansas Leadership Center

The Kansas Leadership Center (KLC) is a first-of-its-kind nonprofit educational organization with a civic mission, national reputation and global reach. Founded in 2007 to foster leadership for stronger, healthier and more prosperous Kansas communities, KLC receives core funding from the Kansas Health Foundation (a private, philanthropic organization). It partners with nonprofit organizations, government agencies, educational institutions, businesses and communities to build cultures that are healthy, productive and well-positioned to make measurable progress on daunting challenges and emergent opportunities. KLC Press publishes leadership books and The Journal, a nationally recognized, award-winning civic issues magazine.

For more than 18 years, KLC has built a strong and respected institution in Kansas designed to deliver leadership development and culture change at unparalleled scale. Now, organizations across the country and around the world look to us to provide resources and consultation to support their own aspirations for mission-driven leadership education. Learn more at www.kansasleadershipcenter.org.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Carrie Lindeman

316-393-1076

carrie@lindemancollective.com