Summertime means splashing at the pool, riding bicycles around town with friends and making sure you get home before the streetlights come on. At least that’s the only worry kids should have during the summer. But for some, a summertime worry may include the lack of consistent meals because many depend on school lunches for their sustenance. In Norton County, Farm Bureau leaders stepped in to help fill the gap so kids (and their guardians) can have the summers they deserve without the worry of where their next meal was coming from.

Through a grant from Kansas Farm Bureau’s (KFB) Foundation for Agriculture, county Farm Bureaus can request funds to support food insecurity projects in their communities. With a Farm Bureau in every county in Kansas, these grants can impact every corner of our mostly square state. The End Hunger grants have provided more than $200,000 to projects that impact Kansans on local levels since they began in 2020. The projects range from school support programs, partnerships with local food banks or pantries, providing meals to families facing financial hardship and summer initiatives.

“The End Hunger grants allow our county Farm Bureaus to react to needs they see within their communities,” says Shannon Martin, assistant director of KFB’s Foundation for Agriculture and agricultural education. “These projects, like Norton County Farm Bureau’s, ensure Kansans have access to the food they need.”

FORM A LINE

In Norton County, Farm Bureau leaders stepped in to help fill the summer meal gap through the Norton County Kids Café. Each Monday in the summer, the Kansas Food Bank provides Norton County with free five-day meal boxes to give each child from age one through age 18  who participates. The boxes include meals for breakfast and lunch, plus the Norton Regional Health Foundation and community donors, like Norton County Farm Bureau, provide fresh fruits and vegetables.

“When COVID happened, the summer meal program for kids through age 18 shifted from an on-site service to a non-congregate, drive-through model,” says Karen Griffiths, an organizer of the Kids Café who serves on the Norton Regional Health Foundation board. “The drive-through program offers anyone with kids to get the pre-packaged meals. About four years ago, we started providing fresh fruits and vegetables, which comes through money raised from local donors.”

Fresh fruits and vegetables are an important part of daily nutrition. They’re rich in vitamins, minerals, fiber and phytochemicals. They can also be costly, making efforts like the Norton County Kids Café integral in supporting healthy lifestyles and eating habits of its community members.

“I have had some parents tell me how much their kids love fresh strawberries or fresh blueberries, and they’ll tell me they don’t get them except through the Kids Café,” Griffiths says. “Kids may not be getting fresh fruits and vegetables as often as they should because it’s so expensive. The families who come through the pick-up line are always especially appreciative of the fresh fruit.”

Kellie Kramer, the Norton County Farm Bureau coordinator, helped organize the End Hunger grant for the project and facilitated the communication and volunteer roles between the Norton County Farm Bureau board and the Kids Café organizers. She knows firsthand how difficult it can be to provide these healthy eating options for kids.  

“It's so expensive to live a healthy lifestyle,” Kramer says. “I know my kids could eat fruit by the gallon. Any chance we have to help lessen the burden on families to provide that healthy option, I think is really important.”

A DIFFERENT KIND OF FAST FOOD

On Monday, June 23, cars started to line up at the First United Methodist Church in Norton to collect their meal packs at 12:15 p.m. sharp. Farm Bureau volunteers and organizers hustle to reach the cars to determine the number of kids and, finding a rhythm, things pick up quickly. Only half an hour later, 200 boxes were handed out. That’s 200 kids in a small community with food to last them through the week.

“Any chance you get to support your community locally is really important,” Kramer says. “And we know the Kids Café has been really successful in Norton, which tells us there is a need. It’s a mission of ours at Norton County Farm Bureau to help in whatever way we can when we know there’s a need.”

Not only did the Norton County Farm Bureau help provide money to purchase the fruits and vegetables, but they also volunteered to hand out boxes and included a flyer that shared agriculture-related information to each car that went through.

SWEETENING THE DEAL

Joy Johnson, the Farm Bureau Financial Services agent in Norton partnered with Norton County Farm Bureau to share information about agriculture and offered them an even sweeter deal.

“I have a great working relationship with the Norton County Farm Bureau board,” Johnson says. “They asked me if I wanted to be involved and I, of course, said yes. I brainstormed some about what that looked like and came up with the idea to have a flyer that had agriculture facts on one side and a little quiz on the back for the kids to answer.”

While fresh fruits and vegetables are important to include in our meals, it wouldn’t be summer for a kid if there weren’t sweet treats involved (in moderation, of course).

“When the kids filled out the quiz, they could bring it to my office and pick up a summer treat – a popsicle or ice cream sandwich,” Johnson says. “Building a relationship with community members, including our kids, is an important part of Farm Bureau, and I’m proud to be part of the answer to providing meals for them.”

The partnership between Farm Bureau Financial Services and the county Farm Bureau was an opportunity to give back, but also to educate area youth about the importance of agriculture in their lives. The organizations often work together to strengthen communities.

“It takes both of us, the financial services side and the organization side to function as a well-oiled machine,” Johnson says. “I know what Norton County Farm Bureau does and how important that is for our agricultural industry. We’ve got to work together.”

With a mandarin orange or banana in tow, kids in Norton County can ride their bikes with full stomachs in the hot summer sun — just as long as they’re home before the streetlights come on.

To learn more about the End Hunger program and how it’s impacting communities across the state, go here. 

*Photos by Cady Pieper, CW Imagery*

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