“You know what? I’m going to get a hat that says ‘Chief Dollar Stretcher,’” Nourish KC Executive Chef Shanita McAfee-Bryant said. “Things have to go on as normal, but it is tight as all get out.” McAfee-Bryant said feeding more than 500 clients every day has become a tireless mission after the U.S. Department of Agriculture cut $500 million in federal funds to food banks in March. At the time, the announcement came as a shock to Harvesters in Kansas City, Missouri, which partners with 900 agencies to provide free meals and food goods to anyone who needs them. These partners, like Nourish KC, have spent the last month trying to stretch a delivery of 8,000 pounds of food. The usual monthly delivery was 20,000 pounds. The federal food bank monies cut were The Emergency Food Assistance Program, or TEFAP, funds. “We have to remain consistent … when they get a lunch there, it’s like eating at home. Just having your dinner or lunch at home,” McAfee-Bryant said. Harvesters Director of Communications Sarah Biles said Thursday she has received little guidance from the USDA in the last month on how best to proceed with a huge gap in food resources. “We’ve also seen a drop in financial donations. I think the public is feeling hesitant to give,” Biles said. “We also have a reduction in produce we get from Mexico and Canada probably due to the tariffs.” Nourish KC, along with community partners, is hosting a fundraiser called “Gumbo Fest” this Saturday from 12-4 p.m. at St. Paul’s Episcopal Day School, 4041 Main St., to help raise money for the kitchen and try to restock shelves with grab-and-go items. “Summer is coming and we need proteins, we need water bottles, Gatorade or Liquid IV packets,” McAfee-Bryant said. Donation of food items can be dropped off at St. Paul’s and people can donate through Nourish KC’s website here.
“You know what? I’m going to get a hat that says ‘Chief Dollar Stretcher,’” Nourish KC Executive Chef Shanita McAfee-Bryant said. “Things have to go on as normal, but it is tight as all get out.”
McAfee-Bryant said feeding more than 500 clients every day has become a tireless mission after the U.S. Department of Agriculture cut $500 million in federal funds to food banks in March.
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At the time, the announcement came as a shock to Harvesters in Kansas City, Missouri, which partners with 900 agencies to provide free meals and food goods to anyone who needs them.
These partners, like Nourish KC, have spent the last month trying to stretch a delivery of 8,000 pounds of food. The usual monthly delivery was 20,000 pounds.
The federal food bank monies cut were The Emergency Food Assistance Program, or TEFAP, funds.
“We have to remain consistent … when they get a lunch there, it’s like eating at home. Just having your dinner or lunch at home,” McAfee-Bryant said.
Harvesters Director of Communications Sarah Biles said Thursday she has received little guidance from the USDA in the last month on how best to proceed with a huge gap in food resources.
“We’ve also seen a drop in financial donations. I think the public is feeling hesitant to give,” Biles said. “We also have a reduction in produce we get from Mexico and Canada probably due to the tariffs.”
Nourish KC, along with community partners, is hosting a fundraiser called “Gumbo Fest” this Saturday from 12-4 p.m. at St. Paul’s Episcopal Day School, 4041 Main St., to help raise money for the kitchen and try to restock shelves with grab-and-go items.
“Summer is coming and we need proteins, we need water bottles, Gatorade or Liquid IV packets,” McAfee-Bryant said.
Donation of food items can be dropped off at St. Paul’s and people can donate through Nourish KC’s website here.
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