A committee studying hunger issues in southeast Kansas have identified two main barriers to providing access to healthy and affordable food in Allen County — transportation and lack of awareness of available resources.
The SEK Hunger Action Team met Thursday to discuss those barriers.
“As Southeast Kansans, we are motivated to collaborate and make real changes for our communities,” the committee announced. “We are focusing on centering people with lived experiences to best utilize our collective skills, knowledge and power to reduce barriers.”
Members will reach out to local service providers to collect data on resource awareness and utilization rates for such things as community pantries, existing transportation services and meal programs.
The Southeast Kansas Hunger Action Team meets from 10 a.m. to noon on the first Thursday of each month in a meeting convened by Kansas Appleseed.
Locally participants are encouraged to contact Paige Olson, Southeast Kansas Thriving Advocate, at [email protected].
Kansas Appleaseed estimates southeast Kansas has the highest food insecurity rates in the state with a projected one in six residents experiencing food insecurity.
