Blow Up Hunger

Blow Up Hunger will benefit the Lord's Pantry and St. Patrick Catholic School.  The Lord's Pantry is a free food distribution program located in North Wichita.  The pantry is open every Tuesday morning and serves about 13,000 low-income individuals annually.  St. Patrick Catholic School, 2023 N. Arkansas, has 200 mostly low-income, minority students.

1. The Lord's Pantry has a refrigerator/freezer that is no longer able to be repaired.  The pantry needs a new Turbo Air Refrigerator that has been recommended by a local nonprofit serving over 20,000 meals a year.  The refrigerator will cost approximately $3,000.

2. Having a salad bar in a school cafeteria allows the students the ability to make fresh, healthy lunch choices.  Currently, St. Patrick Catholic School does not have a salad bar and this project will allow the purchase of one costing $1,600.

3. The current kitchen staff at St. Patrick Catholic School do not have time to prepare fresh food for student meals.  With this fundraising they would be able to add one person to the kitchen staff who will prepare fresh food, for use on the salad bar, which will be available three times per week.  The Fresh Food Specialist will take food purchased from local farmers and prepare it. 

4. Finally, fundraising will allow funds to purchase fresh foods from local farmers for the salad bar.  

Children First, CEO Kansas, Inc., The Health & Wellness Coalition of Wichita, and St. Patrick's Catholic Church and School want the best for the students.  This includes providing fresh, healthy foods at the school and in North Wichita.