LEAWOOD LIONS HUNGER INITIATVE

• National Organizations like The Salvation Army and Catholic Charities USA along with local pantries are reporting a substantial increase in requests for food assistance.

• Food banks are opening their doors to increasing numbers of "the next layer of people" - "child-care workers, nurse's aides, real estate agents and secretaries" struggling with the financial crisis.

• Pantries are facing special difficulty from greatly increased demand for their help and/or depletion of resources.

In response to the crisis affecting families and children, the Leawood Lions Club launched its Hunger Initiative to provide meaningful assistance to local area food pantries.

The Leawood Lions Benevolent Committee met with Harvesters and they listed 86 food pantries serving the needy. In December 2008, the Leawood Lions Foundation distributed gifts of $400 each to thirteen pantries in Johnson and Wyandotte Counties. The Leawood Lions Club issued a challenge to other Lions Clubs and civic groups to provide donations to individual pantries.

In response to the economic crisis impacting families and children, The Leawood Lions Club Board of Directors has authorized the formation of the Hunger Initiative to provide substantial assistance to local area food pantries. The Benevolent Committee was asked to investigate the need and to make recommendations on which pantries to help and in what amounts. Lions Dale Curtin and Mike Klein meet with officials at Harvesters. There are at least 86 food pantries serving the needy in Johnson and Wyandotte Counties. With information provided by Harvesters, the Benevolent Committee has selected 13 pantries that are facing difficulty from greatly increased demand for their help and/or depletion of resources in addition to not having an affiliated group that they can rely on for the extra assistance.

The Leawood Lions Foundation will be mailing $400 to each of these pantries, for a total of $5,200.00. The checks are expected to go out before December 15th. With this initial one-time donation, the Leawood Lions Club hopes to leverage other donations to the individual pantries that will help increase the amount of food products available to the local neighborhoods they serve. Attached is a copy of the letter to accompany the checks going to the pantries.

Any additional contributions may be made directly to the food pantries and you are asked to send a note about your contribution and the name of the pantry to Lion Dale Curtin, Chairperson of the Benevolent committee at DMC4361@kc.rr.com.

The Pantries are:

Central Church of The Nazarene - 12600 W. 87st Parkway - LENEXA
College Church of the Nazarene - 2020 E. Sheridan - OLATHE
Olathe food Pantry - 621 W. Lee Street - OLATHE
Overland Park Christian Church- 7500 W. 75th Street - OVERLAND PARK
Overland Park Church of Christ - 13400 W. 119th - OVERLAND PARK
Stiwell Baptist Caring Ministry - 19950 Broadmoor Lane - STILWELL
Bridges of Hope (United Methodist) - 933 Argentine Boulevard - KANSAS CITY KANSAS
Grace Lutheran Church - 3333 wood Ave - KANSAS CITY KANSAS
HELP 317, Inc. Victory Hills Nazarene - 6200 Parallel Parkway - KANSAS CITY KANSAS
Shawnee Community Services - 1110 W. 67th Street - SHAWNEE
Mount Carmel Community Outreach Pantry - 1220 Troup - KANSAS CITY KANSAS
St. Paul's Episcopal Church - 1300 N. 18th - KANSAS CITY KANSAS
Young Memorial Church of God in Christ - 2401 N. 9th - KANSAS CITY KANSAS