With rising cost of food, supply-chain issues, donations to Project Salina needed now

Charles Rankin, Salina Journal
·3 min read
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With supply chain issues and the rising cost of food, some items, like diced tomatoes, are harder to come by for places like the Salina Emergency Aid Food Bank. The organization is one of five agencies that will get food collected during this year's Project Salina, happening throughout the month of March.
With supply chain issues and the rising cost of food, some items, like diced tomatoes, are harder to come by for places like the Salina Emergency Aid Food Bank. The organization is one of five agencies that will get food collected during this year's Project Salina, happening throughout the month of March.

Though the need for food is year round, one organization uses the month of May each year to highlight that need and get partners in the community to get involved as well.

Project Salina Inc. collects non-perishable food items and monetary donations from local businesses and organizations from May 1 to May 31 each year, with a specific food item assigned to each organization.

In June, the collections throughout May will be given to help five local agencies, which provide food to members in the community, keep their shelves stocked.

For one of these agencies, the Salina Rescue Mission, serving food is a key part of its mission.

"Last year alone, we served 53,543 meals," said Chad Young, the executive director at the rescue mission.

Young said the mission's meal program is open to anyone in the community that is in need of a hot meal.

"We serve three meals a day, seven days a week," Young said.

Supply chain issues are present in all industries right now, including shortages of food supplies, so the need during Project Salina is even greater this year.

"As we all know, food prices are going up right now," Young said. "That puts an extra strain on agencies like ourselves that are trying to help fill the gaps and needs in our community."

Shelves at the Salina Emergency Aid Food Bank pantry have some products, but there are noticeable gaps where food could be. The food bank is one of five agencies that will receive donations through Project Salina this year.
Shelves at the Salina Emergency Aid Food Bank pantry have some products, but there are noticeable gaps where food could be. The food bank is one of five agencies that will receive donations through Project Salina this year.

Karen Couch, the executive director of the Salina Emergency Aid Food Bank, said the agency usually uses the first few months of the year, including May, as a way to stock up its shelves and get ready for the busyness that comes throughout the summer and into the winter.

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In 2021, the Salina food bank distributed more than 9,000 items to 327 people each week.

"However, this year has been really different," Couch said. "The rising food prices and the transportation costs have caused a lot of new households to need our services."

Because of this, Couch said the food bank has seen its busiest first four months of a calendar year ever.

"We have distributed out way more product than ever anticipated," Couch said..

Continuing the work beyond the month of May

Couch said the food bank envisions Project Salina as a way to connect to these local businesses.

"That's really our forum to reach out to that sector of the community to get them involved," Couch said.

She also hopes that businesses in the community will use this time to realize what kind of needs there may be throughout the year.

"We know there are several businesses that can also take on a need for an agency every single month," Couch said.

By continuing beyond just May, Couch said a business could stay in contact with one of the agencies and see what that agency really needs.

"(They) could just ask, what do you need this month, what (specific item) can we collect this month?" Couch said.

Breakfast cereal is harder to stock at places like the Salina Emergency Aid Food Bank as it is seeing supply chain issues like the rest of the country and as more people have needed food assistance in the first few months of this year. Project Salina, which is collecting food and money throughout the month of May, will distribute donations to the food bank and four other agencies in Salina.

Individuals can help too

While Project Salina is more focused on connecting with businesses and organizations to collect donations, Couch said there are ways individuals who can help this month, and the rest of the year, as well.

One immediate way is through the Letter Carrier Food Drive that is happening this Saturday, May, 14.

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"(People) can take that bag, fill it up with non-perishable food items and set that out on Saturday," Couch said. "We'll have volunteers go around, pick that up and process it."

Monetary donations are also welcome, as agencies are often able to purchase food items in bulk, though the supply chain issues and rising food costs are taking a toll on the agency' abilities to do that as well.

"We also feel that frustration," Couch said. "There's really no wrong way to contribute, and we really appreciate all types of gifts."

This article originally appeared on Salina Journal: Project Salina donations needed throughout May as cost of food rises