McPherson County Food Bank sees influx of new families needing services

Rising food costs and reduced government assistance are bringing more McPherson County families to the McPherson County Food Bank, where volunteers provide groceries and other support to people struggling to make ends meet.

According to Linda Smith, president of the food bank, the organization served 762 people from 223 families and distributed 13,825 pounds of food in August. Board member and four-year volunteer Carla Myers said the food bank generally serves 50 to 70 families each week.

The demand continues to grow.

“We had four new families today,” Smith said. “The numbers are a lot higher than last month; it’s been picking up, though.”

Myers said the food bank assists all types of people, including seniors and middle-class households affected by reduced food assistance and higher living costs.

According to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. grocery prices rose sharply during and after the pandemic, including an 11.4% increase in 2022. Although increases slowed in 2024 and 2025, federal food-price data show that grocery prices remained nearly 30% higher than at the beginning of 2020.

Because of federal changes in error-rate penalties with the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, roughly 7,000 people in Kansas lost SNAP assistance. In McPherson County, around 1,100 people receive assistance from SNAP as of June.

For some households, essential expenses leave little money for groceries.

“People who need their medicines: if they buy medicine, they can’t afford to buy food,” Myers said. “If they pay for their rent and utilities, they can’t afford to get as much food.”

Myers said volunteering changed her understanding of hunger in the county.

“I really thought McPherson County was a more influential county. I didn’t realize so many people are struggling to make ends meet,” Myers said. “I didn’t know that till I started volunteering here.”

The food bank distributes canned goods and staples such as flour, eggs, powdered milk, pancake mix, syrup, crackers, and pasta. It also provides meat when funding allows.

“We need all sorts of canned goods: vegetables, fruits, chicken, tuna, beans, soups, all that kind of stuff,” Myers said.

Donated food should be unopened, in manageable sizes, and no more than one year past its expiration date.

“Individual servings, not huge servings, not gallon size; that’s not good because we have to give it out as individual servings,” Myers said.

The organization accepts food and monetary donations. Cash contributions help volunteers purchase items that are less commonly donated.

“The money that we get in, we buy meat, because that’s not usually donated,” Myers said.

Myers said businesses and community groups organize food drives throughout the year, but the food bank needs those efforts spread across all seasons rather than concentrated near year-end.

“Some of our shelves are empty,” Myers said.

Smith and Myers encouraged anyone who needs assistance to visit the food bank.

“Just come in and get food,” Smith said.

“There’s no shame in it,” Myers said. “If somebody needs a helping hand, that’s what we’re here for.”

The food bank is located at 707 S. Main St. in McPherson, and is open for pick-up from 10 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. on Tuesdays and 2 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. Fridays. During business hours, people can call 620-241-8050. When the food bank is closed, its voicemail provides another number for assistance.

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