We invite you to join us for an interactive day at the Kansas Food Bank on September 3rd.  It will be a great chance for anyone to come down to the warehouse and get a “hands on” approach to fight hunger.  Our friends from KWCH 12 and Journal Broadcast group will be here throughout the day as well doing their part to raise awareness of hunger in our state. 

We will have different volunteer stations set up between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. in two hour time blocks, so there will be plenty of time to choose when you can come down and help out.  We will be packing Food 4 Kids backpacks, re-packing dry pasta, assembling Laid Off Worker and Senior Boxes.  We may even throw in some salvage that needs to be sorted.  There is always plenty of work that needs to be done around the warehouse and this is your chance to  see the inner-working of what your Kansas Food Bank does each and every day. 

Of course, if you just want to come and take a tour of the warehouse to see what all happens in this huge building, we will be happy to show you our space.  It is really quite amazing to see the big freezer! (And quite cold in there too!) 

For information on how you can help and be a part of this fun filled day, contact debikreutzman@kansasfoodbank.org and schedule your time now.  Invite your friends, family and co-workers to join you, the more the merrier! 

What better way to kick off “Hunger Action Month” than being a part of our team!  You CAN make a difference!

Starting August 21st, Dillon’s stores are teaming up with the Kansas Food Bank offering shoppers pre-made bags of kid friendly food for our Food 4 Kids backpack program.  The price point on the bags are $5 and $10.  Shoppers simply pick up the bags, pay for them with their other purchases and drop off in the Food Bank containers located at the front of the store.  The Kansas Food Bank staff will take it from there and we will pick up the bags and bring them back to the warehouse for backpack packing and distribution.  This promotion will run through Labor Day.

Maurice’s in Winfield is collecting food for our Food 4 Kids backpack program on August 20th, 21st and 22nd. 

For every three items you donate, receive a coupon good for 20% off of one item.  Items requested are granola bars, beanie weenies, fruit or pudding cups and beef jerky sticks…all items that can be used in our backpack distribution. 

We have already started packing backpacks in the warehouse.  School has started and we distribute 5,000 backpacks a week to children who are food insecure. 

Thanks Maurice’s for helping us collect food!

Dillon Food Stores and Quivera Council Boy Scouts are teaming up to fight hunger in Kansas.  As part of their Good Turn for America project, the Boy Scouts will be collecting food on September 11, 2010 for the Kansas Food Bank.  Scouts will be collecting food at area Dillon’s stores on 09-11-2010 as well as collecting food door to door.  Watch for your door knocker which will give instructions on when the scouts will return to collect food.  Canned vegetables and fruit, soups, powdered milk, dry cereals, dry pasta, and canned meats are most appreciated.  Thank you for being a part of this Good Turn for America 2010.

Commander John Mock of the Air Capital Chapter of the American Ex – P.O.W., WW II presents a $500.00 check to Larry Gunkel of the Kansas Food Bank for the Laid Off Workers Center.  To quote them “We admire your efforts on behalf of the hungry.  Our fellow American troops rescued us from imminent starvation.  Now, it is our turn.” 

Thank you gentlemen for all you have done and continue to do for us!

Cessna Customer Service Center presents the 5th Annual Car, Truck and Bike Show to benefit the Kansas Food Bank this upcoming weekend, on July 31st from 2:00 pm to 8:00 p.m. It all takes place at the Cessna Citation Service Center, One Citation Lane – 2121 S Hoover (1/2 mile north of K-42 on Hoover Rd).

Admission is $1 cash donation or 1 can of food
Entry fee: $15 Car, Truck or Motorcycle
Registration is from 11:00 a.m. to 2 p.m.
For more information please call 316-517-3501

There will be live music as well as a kids play area, a vendor pavillion and a food court!

ALSO…a Pine Derby Race at 4:00 p.m. Bring your own car and compete!

It’s official!  Our new Peterbuilt tractor and trailer has hit the road.  Our first delivery in it was today to the Eastern border of Central Kansas.  We delivered just over 26,000 pounds of food to agencies in Iola, Humbolt, Ft. Scott, Prescott and Pittsburg.  It can easily hold 18 pallates and has a refridgerated trailer with a lift gate.  This new vehicle will help us meet the demands of our Rural Delivery program across the State of Kansas.

Kevin Enz accepts Poker Run check from Stu Puls.

The Kansas Food Bank held the winning hand at the first Annual Charity Poker Run on the Kansas International Dragway on June 6. Our Poker Run cash winnings amounted to $600 from entry fees and other payments from purchasing extra poker hands. Food contributions were received at the dragway site as well as at the 11 locations of Bumper-to-Bumper Certified Service Centers in Wichita, El Dorado, Goddard, Rose Hill, Mulvane, Potwin, Newton, Park City, Derby and Valley Center. We were happy to learn that Jobber’s Automotive Warehouse, a friend and neighbor in our old South Wichita facility, would be getting in the game with Stu Puls sitting in as a lead player. Everyone seemed to have a roaring good time as participants in their street-legal motorcycles and automobiles did their thing while Poker Run fans cheered them on. 

All we can say to our Bumper-to-Bumper friends is let’s shuffle up and deal again next year!

Aida’s was among retailers across the United States that joined Brighton in offering limited edition jewelry designed to help feed struggling Americans.  Brighton asked their retailers to nominate American Hero’s in their community who are feeding people.  The Kansas Food Bank was selected from among hundreds of entries that Brighton received because of the passion that Aida’s and their customers showed for the work the Kansas Food Bank does in the community.  Aida presented the Kansas Food Bank with a $5,000 check to help further the work we do. Thank you Brighton and Aida for your dedication!