Here’s where to find food assistance throughout JoCo — and how to help food insecure families

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As Johnson County families face challenges due to the coronavirus pandemic, community groups are piecing together a range of options for those who need food assistance.

Organizations, school districts and cities throughout the county are hosting food drives or mobile food pantries — all with additional safety precautions to limit human interaction. Below is a list of food drives and pantries, listed by city or school district, and information on how to request or donate.

Harvesters

Many food pantries across Shawnee Mission are connected to the Harvesters community food network,  with a number of mobile food pantries recurring in the area. Harvesters has a webpage dedicated to finding food assistance, here.

Harvesters Director of Communications Sarah Biles said the best way to support the organization right now is monetarily. Due to COVID-19, Harvesters is limited in the number of volunteers allowed on site and therefore limited in its ability to repackage food donations, she said. To make financial donations to Harvesters — which Biles said has distributed more than 4 million pounds of food in the last three weeks, up from 3 million pounds for the same time period last year — visit www.harvesters.org and click “Give Money.”

Blue Valley School District

The Blue Valley School District is hosting a grab-and-go breakfast and lunch service Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Children ages 1 to 18 can receive meals, and no sign up is required. The locations are as follows

• Blue Valley Academy, 7500 W. 149th Terrace
• Overland Trail Middle School, 6201 W. 133rd Street
• Oxford Middle School, 12500 Switzer Road
• Indian Valley Elementary School, 11600 Knox Avenue

Leawood

• Leawood Presbyterian Church, 2715 W. 83rd Street: Food pantry is open Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. A representative from the church could not be reached for donation instructions.

Lenexa

• West Lenexa Seventh Day Church, 24450 W. 83rd Street: Food pantry open Wednesdays from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. A representative could not be reached for donation instructions.

Mission

• Santa Fe WayStation, 6422 Santa Fe Drive: Drive-thru pantry Mondays from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Photo identification requested. Santa Fe WayStation is requesting monetary donations that will allow the pantry to purchase food and supplies. Donate here.
• City of Mission: Two mobile food pantries at Shawnee Mission North High School, 7401 Johnson Drive, through Harvesters on May 9 and again on May 30 (Mission hosts one every fifth Saturday of the month). Harvesters mobile distributions provide fresh food and groceries via drive-thrus, and serve cars on a first come, first served basis.

Merriam

• New City Church: A mobile food pantry through Harvesters, hosted the fourth Saturday of the month from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Merriam Park Elementary, 6100 Mastin Street.

Olathe

• New Hope Food Pantry, 13310 S. Blackbob Road: Monday through Friday, 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. New Hope needs volunteers for its next mobile food pantry, May 9, according to the website. Monetary donations can be made here, checks and cash are also accepted.
• Olathe Downtown Library, 200 E. Loula Street: A Harvesters Kids Cafe site, open Monday through Friday from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Overland Park

• The Church of the Resurrection, 8412 W. 95th Street: Drive-thru pantry Mondays from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and Wednesdays from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. To receive assistance, bring current photo identification and this month’s utility bill with your current address. Donations can be made at the church on Saturday, April 18, from 9 a.m. to 11 am. The church asks that donations be kept in the backseat or trunk for volunteers to grab them — donors should not exit their vehicles. For a list of specific donations, visit the food pantry website here.
• ReNewed Hope: A Harvesters mobile food pantry hosted every first and third Tuesday of the month from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Prairie Village

• St. Ann Parish of Prairie Village, 7231 Mission Road: A food collection drive to support Catholic Charities on Sunday, April 19, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The food collected will be donated to Catholic Charities, which has locations in Overland Park and Olathe.
• Asbury United Methodist Church, 5400 W. 75th Street: A 24/7 food pantry and shelves at the front entry for those who have trouble accessing the pantry. The pantry needs pasta, pasta sauce and macaroni and cheese, and donations can be dropped off or picked up from your home. To have htem picked up, call (913) 432-5573 or email phyllisw@visitasbury.org. Monetary donations can be made to Asbury UMC, noting it is for the food pantry. Information on monetary donations can be found here.

Roeland Park

• Roeland Park United Methodist Church, 5110 Cedar Street: Drive-thru food pantry Fridays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Donations will be brought to the car, and delivery is offered for those considered at-risk by filling out this form. People can drop off donations at the west entrance next to the double glass doors (accessible from the back parking lot) on Mondays and Wednesdays between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. A list of requested donation items can be found here.

Shawnee

• Shawnee Community Services, 11110 W. 67th Street: Those seeking food needs and those wanting to make an appointment for a pantry box, call (913) 268-7746. Free bread is available Monday through Sunday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Food donations can be dropped off on the Barton Street side when the gate is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., or Saturdays from 9 am. To 3 p.m. Monetary donations can be made here.
• Hindu Temple and Cultural Center of Kansas City, 6330 Lackman Road: A Harvesters mobile food pantry hosted every second Thursday of the month from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Shawnee Mission School District

The Shawnee Mission School District is hosting a meal distribution program for all children ages 1 to 18 on Mondays and Wednesdays from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the following locations:

• Comanche Elementary, 8200 Grant Street
• Rosehill Elementary, 9801 Rosehill Road
• Shawanoe Elementary, 11230 W. 75th Street
• Hocker Grove Middle School, 10400 Johnson Drive

John McKinney, Shawnee Mission director of family and student services, said the district’s social workers have been sharing the following additional resources:

• United Way/211: https://uwgkc.myresourcedirectory.com/
• Johnson County Public Library’s list of food pantries: https://answers.jocolibrary.org/faq/209335
• Harvesters’ service locator: https://www.harvesters.org/Get-Help/Service-Locator
• JoCo’s My Resource Connection: https://ims.jocogov.org/rc/
• A food pantry search engine: https://www.foodpantries.org/st/kansas

Stilwell

• First Baptist Church, 19950 Broadmoor Lane: A Harvesters mobile food pantry held Tuesdays from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. A photo ID and this month’s utility bill with address displayed is required.