Food Drive Nets More than 9,000 lbs

By Kerry Watson, Director of Communications

MKC employees Jeff Jones and Spencer Reames deliver food
items to the Reno County Food Bank.

The statistics for food insecure homes in Kansas are staggering. According to a study released March 31, 2014 by the Kansas Food Bank and Feeding America, the nation's largest domestic hunger-relief organization, the food budget needed by families struggling with hunger in Kansas each year is an estimated $164,968,840.

MKC employees joined together this past April to help fill the shelves of area food banks through their third annual food drive.  The drive netted more than 9,000 pounds of non-perishable food items.

"We know supplies for area food banks can be stressed during the summer," said Adam McDaniel member of the MKC Community Involvement Committee. "Through a collective effort, we can make a meaningful difference for so many families in our area."

MKC Employees Host Third Annual Food Drive

By Kerry Watson, Director of Communications

The statistics for food insecure homes in Kansas are staggering. According to a study released March 31, 2014 by the Kansas Food Bank and Feeding America, the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief organization, the food budget needed by families struggling with hunger in Kansas each year is an estimated $164,968,840.

Throughout the month of April, MKC employees are joining together to help fill the shelves of area food banks through their third annual food drive, "Together We Can Fight Hunger".

"We know supplies for area food banks can be stressed during the summer," said Adam McDaniel, member of the MKC Community Involvement Committee. "Through a collective effort, we can make a meaningful difference for so many families in our area."

Last year, MKC employees collected 12,403 pounds of food and donated $15,000 to nine food banks throughout central Kansas. "Our goal for this year is to collect 15,000 pounds," McDaniel said.

MKC employees invite the public to join them in their food drive by dropping off non-perishable food items at any MKC location by April 30. Together we can fight hunger in our communities!
 

Employees help to fight hunger in their communities

By Kerry Watson, Director of Communications

MKC employees, Jeff Jones and Perry Stussy, unload food
items at the Reno County Food Bank.

Last week was a humbling experience for many MKC employees as they traveled throughout south central Kansas presenting financial and food contributions to area food banks. 

On Friday, Jeff Jones, Location Manager at Haven, helped deliver 2500 lbs. of flour along with 300 lbs. of canned and dry goods and presented a check for $2500 to the Reno County Food Bank.  “My team and I feel very fortunate to work for a company that believes in community involvement and strives to support our neighbors,” stated Jones.

Timing of the donations was critical as food banks expect an increase in assistance during summer months.  Penny Haney, Reno County Food Bank Director,  commented that their facility served approximately 1200 people last month, or an average of 400 families.  “We had 54 new cases last month,” said Haney. “And we expect this number to rise with schools letting out for the summer.”

MKC hosted its second annual food drive throughout the month of April, collecting over 6,500 lbs. of food.  “A number of employees made it their personal mission to insure the drive was a success,” stated Adam McDaniel, committee chairperson for the food drive.

Seventeen area businesses lent a helping hand donating over $3,000.  MKC employees then turned the cash into canned and dried goods.  Also supporting the food drive was Horizon Milling in Wichita with a donation of 7500 lbs. of flour.  

MKC also donated $15,000 to nine area food banks.  The donations were part of a matching funds program sponsored by Land O’ Lakes.  Since 2012, MKC has made cash contributions to area food banks totaling more than $42,000.

MKC contributes to area food banks

During the month of June, MKC Community Involvement Committee members sponsored a food drive to benefit local food pantries and emergency shelters.

“It is part of MKC’s core commitment to take part in the growth and success of the communities we live and operate in. This would include supporting our employee’s efforts to donate food to local food banks,” said Erik Lange, Director of Southern Operations for MKC. 

Shane Eck, Location Manager at Lindsborg, stands
among items collected at his location.

Collection boxes were placed at each location. Producers traveling to and from locations during harvest were encouraged to bring non-perishable food items to donate. Employees were also encouraged to bring in items to donate and some locations took the initiative to collaborate with local grocery stores to receive donations.

Larry Brake, the location manager at Abilene, got the Abilene community involved by approaching the local grocery store to help with the food drive. The manager at Country Mart agreed to match what the Abilene location raised in donations. A donation spot was also established at the entrance to the store so shoppers could participate. The idea soon caught on with other locations.

MKC sponsors food drive

MKC’s Community Involvement Committee will be kicking off a month-long food drive starting on June first. Donation drop off sites will be located at MKC co-op locations.

Non-perishable items collected during the month of June will be donated to local food pantries. Donations will be kept in the county they were donated in as much as possible, depending on the capacity of the food pantry and need.

Jason Creed, Director of Energy Operations and Community Involvement Committee member, said that the food drive is an excellent way to involve employees as well as customers and producers.

Bags to return donations in will be handed out to clients and producers as they travel to and from the co-op during harvest.

A competition has been established between the northern and southern districts to see who can collect the most food, with 500 pounds being the minimum goal for each district.

This is the second project of the recently formed Community Involvement Committee; the first was a month long blood drive that ran during May.  The Community Involvement Committee was formed after the MKC Way Committee conducted three employee focus groups and found that employees of MKC wanted to be more involved in their communities.