Topeka North Outreach provides 500 weekend meal sacks per week to students in Seaman Schools and at Quincy and State Street Elementary Schools.
The organization has provided more than 100,000 food sacks with macaroni and cheese, ramen noodles, microwavable bowl meals, fruit, shelf-stable milk, peanut butter, hot cereal, protein bars, cold cereal, cheese and crackers and other items to tide them over the weekend when they may be food insecure.
Last year, Let’s Help gave out 62,000 pounds of food, including 3,600 food boxes, to people in food emergencies. “The biggest problem we’re seeing is not with the homeless. It’s the working poor,” says Linda Kehres, executive director. “They’re really trying to make it. It’s just hard when you’re making minimum wage.”
The Salvation Army serves meals to 55 individuals per night through its community meal program. “All of the food for the community meal program is donated by Project Topeka or others,” says Shelly Robertson, development director. “That’s really important to the community.”