FOOD FOR THOUGHT
By Betty Jo Gigot | Publisher A recent trip to my former home, Garden City, Kan., af- ter two years, was a total surprise. The town is buzzing with new projects like the new bridge over the Arkan- sas River – which everyone said took forever – and a spectac- ular redo on the local airport. The home of many of the most progressive cattle feedlots in the nation and Beef Empire Days celebrating the multi-million dollar industry, Garden City continues to be the center of southwest Kansas progress. Robert Gonzales, an old family friend and warehouse manag- er for the Kansas Food Bank, was anxious to show me another addition to the area, a 19,000-square-foot facility that serves as the new Kansas Food Bank’s western hub. The facility serves Kansas’ 31 westernmost counties. Garden City was a natural choice, according to Brian Walker, Kansas Food Bank president and CEO. “The purpose was to be sure we could offer the best service to the rural part of the state,” Walker said. He noted that the food bank already had major donors in the Garden City area, and the city has been very receptive to the addition to the community. The Kansas Food Bank, head- quartered at Wichita, has been in operation for 40 years. The western addition allows more deliveries and doubles the abili- ty to deliver fresh produce and protein to rural communities Gonzales explained that food sources for the bank include 40 percent rescued, 25 percent donated, 19 percent purchased and 15 percent from the government. That food then goes to the food bank that receives it, sorts it, packs it and distributes prod- ucts across the area to food pantries, soup kitchens, Food 4 Kids participating schools, health clinics and mobile distributers. Eventual recipients are children, families, seniors and individ- uals. More than 2.35 million pounds of food were distributed last year, 707,000 pounds of which was produce. Prior to the
addition of the Garden City Food Bank, volunteers racked up more than 15,000 hours in donated time last year. The sparkling facility with frozen and refrigerated truck-sized bays is available for tours and welcomes volunteers, donations like beef from one of the local feedyards, and food drives like one the local girl scout troop organized. I drove over the new bridge many times, ate at the new airport and feel sure the Western Hub of the Kansas Food Bank will serve the area well, providing food to deserving Kansans. These food boxes will be delivered to rural communities in need. | Photo courtesy Robert Gonzales
24
www.calfnews.net
CALF News
June | July 2025
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker