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. From December 2008 through May 2010 the Leawood Lions Foundation distributed gifts of $1,000 each to thirteen pantries in Johnson and Wyandotte Counties for a total of $13,000.. The Leawood Lions Club issued a challenge to other Lions Clubs and civic groups to provide donations to individual pantries.

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