Grow Green Giving: Flint Hills Breadbasket
In the heart of Manhattan, Kansas, stands the Flint Hills Breadbasket, a vital resource for many in the community facing food insecurity. Executive Director Karla Hagemeister leads the Breadbasket with a mission to provide reliable access to healthy food, foster connections within the community, and empower neighbors to meet their basic needs. Through ongoing efforts, they ensure that every individual, regardless of circumstance, has access to culturally relevant and nutritious food options while fostering a sense of belonging and community.
Since Grow Green Match Day's inception in 2013, the Flint Hills Breadbasket has partnered with the Greater Manhattan Community Foundation by participating in this day of giving. Donations between $25 and $1,000 through the event are matched at 50%. Karla Hagemeister, reflecting on the motivation behind their participation, highlighted the importance of community collaboration and collective action. She expressed how Grow Green differs from other giving initiatives by harnessing a collective energy that unites local nonprofits in a shared campaign, highlighting the diverse ways they work together to support the community.
"We're continuing to see a growing number of people in our community who need our assistance, who need our support... So making sure that we still have dollars set aside for [essential services like milk and eggs] is really helpful," said Karla.
In 2023, the funds raised during Grow Green Match Day played a role in sustaining the Breadbasket's essential services. Focusing on securing resources for vital items like fresh milk and eggs, they ensured every individual had access to nutritious food options. Looking ahead to 2024, Karla envisions the funds contributing to three key areas:
- Sustaining core services like food procurement.
- Expanding outreach programs such as the innovative Senior Homebound Outreach Program (SHOP).
- Investing in infrastructure to meet the evolving needs of the community.
Through initiatives like these, the Flint Hills Breadbasket remains a vital resource to the Manhattan community.
Join us in supporting the Flint Hills Breadbasket during the 12th Annual Grow Green Match Day on April 22nd. On this day, your donation (between $25 and $1,000) will be matched at 50%. Organizations are eligible to receive up to $7,500 in matching dollars from $15,000 in donations. GMCF thanks Phil Howe and the Howe Family Foundation for its monumental support of this event and dedicates its growing success to their matching efforts. Learn more about Grow Green Match Day at GrowGreenManhattan.com!
