Harvesters aims to combat long-term food insecurity through Food+ program

In addition to providing emergency food assistance, Harvesters works to address long-term food insecurity and health outcomes.

Through the Food+ program, Harvesters partners with Kansas City-area hospitals and county health departments.

The program specifically focuses on combatting food insecurity, which can often lead to chronic illnesses.

University Health is one of the health care partners involved.

Just about every day, Jesse Jasnowski comes to the hospital’s food pantry for a free sack lunch.

Chris Morrison

“The cost of groceries have gone up tremendously over the past couple years," he said. "So, it’s not a whole lot of food, but it’s a snack, you know."

Jasnowski said he is never turned away and never leaves hungry.

Susan Oweti and her staff started the food pantry in 2020 to help patients and their families.

The pantry started out serving 20 households a day. Now, Oweti said the operation sees over 110.

Chris Morrison

“Some patients are asking for toothpaste or a brush, or maybe a shampoo; whatever they need,” she said.

Oweti explained patients always walk away with two bags full of food — one containing fresh produce and premade lunches and another with nonperishables.

Harvesters donates 90% of the pantry's food and personal hygiene products.

JuYeon Kim

“I had parents before telling me, 'You know, I didn’t have dinner for my kids. But tonight, I’m gonna serve them something,'" Oweti said. "That means a lot for somebody to speak up and tell you that."

Clay County Public Health Center

The Clay County Public Health Center started its partnership with the food bank in 2019.

On the first Wednesday of every month, the mobile food pantry provides aid for residents as well as those outside Clay County.

Kelsey Neth, communications specialist with Clay County Public Health Center, said public health is all about prevention, so providing fresh food for the community is a vital part of the health center's mission.

Chris Morrison

“Ideally, people wouldn’t be needing to go to hospitals because we’re able to give them things like vaccines and healthy foods, or access to different resources to make them healthy in the first place,” Neth said.

Click here to learn more or to donate to KSHB 41 and Harvesters' Fill the Fridge initiative.

—

KSHB 41 anchor/reporter JuYeon Kim covers agricultural issues and the fentanyl crisis. Share your story idea with JuYeon .