$18 million in grants sent to help pandemic related food insecurity

WICHITA, Kan. (WIBW) – The Kansas Health Foundation has sent $18 million in grants to address food insecurity across the state.

The Kansas Health Foundation says its Board of Directors recently approved $18 million in grants to got towards COVID-19 response efforts to address food insecurity and support data, equity and engagement efforts throughout the state. It said the following awards were approved by the KHF Board:

COVID-19 Response ($250,000):

KHF said to help address food insecurity caused by the pandemic, it has approved $250,000 to Kansas’ three major food banks: The Kansas Food Bank ($127,500), Harvesters Community Food Network ($112,500) and Second Harvest Community Food Bank ($10,000). It said the food banks will use the funds to make grants to their agency networks statewide. It said decisions will be based on the needs of the community food pantries related to storing and distributing healthy, perishable food to respond to future food insecurity.

According to KHF, the commitment to addressing food insecurity comes after it awarded $2.9 million to major food banks and to ensure Kansas kids and their families had meal access over the summer months of 2020. Later in October, it said the Board gave an additional $900,000 to strengthen available food benefits and expand access to Federal Nutrition Programs in Kansas.

KHF said it has repurposed grant funds or given additional support that totals over $19.3 million for COVID-19 initiatives in 2020 and 2021.

Data, Equity and Engagement Support ($17.8 million):

According to KHF, $1,100,000 went to the Kansas Digital Equity and Inclusion Collaborative to support multi-sector community collaboratives to co=create and implement local digital equity and inclusion plans to promote digital access, adoption and literacy among marginalized Kansans that experience systematic barriers. It said the pandemic has deepened the digital divide, especially in low-income communities as health services and schooling became remote.

To help Kansans attain the best educational, economic and health outcomes, KHF said high-speed digital access and literacy are necessary. It said this is why the initiative will focus on a two-generation approach, so more Kansans have the opportunity for digital success in the future. It said Harder $ Company Community Research will get $95,000 to conduct the evaluation of the initiative.

KHF also said four grantees will be chosen through a Requests for Proposals process that opens on April 28. IT said residents should watch its website and e-news for more details about when and how to apply.

$13,500,000 – Kansas Health Institute Core Support:

According to KHF, it will continue core funding to support Kansas Health Institute for 5 years to conduct research and analysis about the state of health, health-related policies and issues that affect Kansans, as well as to provide education to policymakers.

KHF said KHI is a nonpartisan health policy and research organization that works to improve the health of all Kansans through research, education and engagement that supports effective policymaking. It said KHF has provided core operating funding of around $53 million to KHI since 1994.

$3,035,200 – Kansas Integrated Voter Engagement (IVE) Initiative Phase II: Civic Engagement to Advance Health Equity and Evaluation:

According to KHF, Phase II of the Kansas IVE initiative will use originally funded organizations to continue to expand and enhance integrated voter engagement work. It said these efforts will help advance health equity through increased partnerships and programming among Kansans that are most impacted by inequities. It said this phase will begin August through December of 2025.

KHF said 11 organizations were initially funded in 2017 for a total of $24.7 million and were meant to integrate voter engagement into existing health equity work. It said an additional $400,000 was awarded in late 2020 in bridge funding between phases I and II. It said each organization has a specific focus and target population, however, the entire team works to build stronger civic engagement through education, develop and diversify community leadership, increase public dialogue, create a well-informed grassroots citizenry to support public policies that impact communities and increase voter turnout. It said phase II will build on that work.

According to KHF, funded agencies include the following:

ACLU Foundation of Kansas
Climate + Energy Project
Destination Innovation (formerly The Seed House – La Casa de Semilla)
El Centro
Kansas Appleseed
Kansas Rural Center
Kearny County Hospital
Liberal Area Coalition for Families
Metro Organization for Racial and Economic Equity (MORE2)

KHF said REACH Healthcare Foundation and Health Forward Foundation also partner in the IVE initiative by funding two organizations in the Kansas City metro area. It said Innovation Network will get $256,000 to continue to evaluate the initiative.

$200,000 – FORESIGHT Continuation:

According to KHF, to continue to participate in FORESIGHT, it will provide a second grant of $200,000 for three years to Growth Philanthropy Network. It said FORESIGHT is a national collaborative effort to equitably envision and create a new future for health and well-being. IT said the funding will be used to implement strategies with national and regional funders, and health and business stakeholders to impact health in order to reduce barriers and create opportunities to improve health outcomes.

KHF said the first grant to FORESIGHT for $200,000 was in 2018.

Tags: Food, grants, insecurity, Million, pandemic, Related