When EmberHope launched its community food drive, the goal was simple: to show up for our neighbors in a season when so many are struggling. In just 10 days, staff, community partners, and volunteers came together to collect an estimated $2,500 worth of donations, including formula, canned goods, canned meats, toilet paper, noodles, rice, sauces, meal kits like Tuna and Hamburger Helper, cereal, baby food, soups, and more.
The idea for the food drive began when several team members voiced concern over the impact of the government shutdown and interruptions to SNAP benefits.
“We knew that many families, especially seniors and children, might be going without their food benefits, and that was heartbreaking,” said EmberHope’s Marketing Director, Autumn Huerter, who coordinated the effort. “No one deserves to go hungry. As a child, I wouldn’t have eaten without SNAP benefits, free and reduced lunches, and the generosity of community dinners and food pantries. I wanted to give back—to rise to the call that so many had answered for me. I know many on our team felt the same way.”
Community Partnership in Action
The donations were distributed among several local partners and organizations that serve families across south-central Kansas. EmberHope shared supplies with College Hill United Methodist Church and Radiant Church, both longtime church partners of the EmberHope Foundation, as well as with Child Start, an organization serving at-risk children and families across Sedgwick County. The remaining items were placed in blessing boxes throughout Goddard, Wichita, and Newton to reach as many neighbors as possible. A portion of the donations were also given to EmberHope’s Family Engagement Center for children and families to take as needed.
Community partnerships were vital to the effort’s success. The City of Goddard generously donated the use of the Goddard Community Center for the meal packing event, and volunteers from the Goddard Senior Center joined EmberHope staff to help organize and sort donations. Local business Geeksphere also stepped up in a big way, holding its own collection drive to support the cause and delivering boxes of shelf staples, spices, canned goods, and meal kits.
“We even had people from the community just show up and drop off food—we didn’t know who they were!” Huerter shared. “It was amazing to see how everyone came together.”
A Culture of Giving
Throughout the collection week, EmberHope staff demonstrated the same compassion they bring to their daily work with children and families.
“The generosity of our staff never ceases to amaze me,” Huerter said. “These folks show up every single day for our children and families in big ways, and yet the well never seems to run dry. I know the holidays are coming up, and everyone is stretched thin. But still, they gave.”
One moment that stood out came during the meal packing event, when an EmberHope staff member arrived with $300 worth of formula, powdered milk, and baby food—a contribution that brought tears to Huerter’s eyes.
“As a mother to a little one myself, I know how invaluable those items are to families with young children,” Huerter said. “It was incredibly moving.”
Standing Together as a Village
The donations not only provided immediate support to local food pantries and blessing boxes but also reminded families and community partners that they are seen and supported.
“There’s an old adage that says, ‘It takes a village to raise a child’, and that still rings true today,” Huerter reflected. “The village is all of us, standing together.”
For EmberHope, the drive was more than a one-time act of service—it was a reflection of the organization’s mission to walk alongside children, families, and communities in times of need.
“To help feed someone is one of the simplest yet most human acts one can do,” Huerter said. “It was an honor to play even a small part in assisting families across the area. If we want our community to show up for our kids, we have to show up for our community. We have to do this together—it’s the only way.”
Learn More
EmberHope is committed to empowering children, families, and communities across Kansas through foster care, adoption, case management, residential programs, and family services.
To learn more about our mission or ways to get involved, visit our website today!
