UNITED WAY OF KAW VALLEY ANNOUNCES $85,000 FOR FOOD PANTRIES

OH SNAP!, the Shawnee County collaborative effort to support people affected by the interruption of the federal food assistance program known as SNAP, got a transformational boost this week from anonymous United Way of Kaw Valley donors.

Nov. 11, 2025, Topeka, KS—Thanks to anonymous local donors, United Way of Kaw Valley has activated $85,000 in rapid-response funding to help Shawnee County food pantries. Despite today’s announcement from the Kansas Department of Children and Families that SNAP benefits would be restored for November, pantries still face intense demand caused by disruptions to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. 

Food security partners in the county are standing up a hub-and-spoke system of purchasing and distribution to enhance buying power and to support smaller pantries with fewer human and financial resources. 

Funds will be channeled to five hubs to help fill weekly funding gaps as the need evolves. Currently, 24 spoke partners will pick up bulk orders from the hubs and repackage for their pantry's use. United Way will help coordinate communication and record-keeping for the system and will support volunteer recruitment using its KawValleyVolunteers.org website.

The OHSNAP! campaign and the hub-and-spoke system arose from an expanded session of an ongoing local food pantry meeting convened last week by LiveWell Shawnee County and United Way. UWKV is providing a virtual food resource hub for its four counties at  https://www.uwkawvalley.org/ohsnap. 

LiveWell Shawnee County is the community health coalition in Topeka and Shawnee County. The coalition focuses on mobilizing people, ideas and resources around topics and issues identified throughout its communities, and working towards solutions that address them. Its Healthy Food Impact Team works on issues of food security and food access, including pantries. LiveWell also helps coordinate the local community health needs assessment (CHNA) and health improvement plan (CHIP).

United Way of Kaw Valley continues to work closely with local nonprofits, food assistance programs, and community partners to monitor the evolving situation and ensure accurate information and resources are available for those affected by the pause in SNAP benefits.

Community members can help in three easy ways as part of the county-wide OHSNAP! initiative:

1. Give Money. Food pantries and food banks often have buying power that makes a dollar stretch further. And it gives them better control over their inventory, allowing them to adjust what they buy to meet immediate needs. Money also helps them pay for other things they need to operate. Find donations links for pantries and other food security partners at https://www.uwkawvalley.org/ohsnap.

2. Give Food. Donating food now gets it to hungry people fast. In this moment, giving food AND giving money will help food security partners address the need now, next week, and next month. UWKV CEO Jessica Lehnherr hopes this becomes a habit for more members of the community. Lehnherr said, “Make a plan to donate regularly, because the need is not going away even when this crisis eases.” Find information on food pantries and other food security partners at https://www.uwkawvalley.org/ohsnap.

3. Give Time. Food pantries, like most nonprofits, depend on volunteers to keep vital services running. And when need rises, those regular volunteers keep showing up and putting themselves at increased risk for compassion fatigue. Find opportunities in Shawnee County and throughout the UWKV service area at https://www.kawvalleyvolunteers.org/.

OHSNAP! HUBS (as of 11/7/2025)
1.    SENT
2.    Doorstep
3.    TRM
4.    Catholic Charities
5.    Let’s Help

OHSNAP! SPOKES (as of 11/7/2025)
1.    Salvation Army
2.    Bods Feeding Bods
3.    University UMC
4.    Westside Baptist
5.    Grace Cathedral
6.    Susanna Wesley UMC
7.    St. David's Episcopal
8.    Logan Elementary
9.    Silverbackks
10.    Grantville UMC
11.    I Care
12.    Ross Elementary
13.    BeFilled
14.    Community Action, Inc
15.    New Mount Zion Baptist
16.    New Hope Food Pantry
17.    Rossville UMC
18.    Bread Basket
19.    Boys and Girls Club of Topeka
20.    Hope House - Oakland Nazarene