Hunger Action Month: Here’s where to volunteer this month to help fight hunger in Kansas City and beyond
Courtesy Kanbe’s Markets
One in six people face hunger in Missouri and Kansas.
Across both states, Feeding America, the largest hunger-relief organization in the U.S., says that nearly 1.5 million people face food insecurity.
September is Hunger Action Month, a national campaign to join your community to help fight hunger. With several organizations in our area committed to the campaign, there are many ways we as a community can do our part to ensure our neighbors can feel a little more at ease.
Kanbe’s Markets is one such organization, and they’ve extended an invitation to you. Their goal is to build a broader food system, creating access from loss, with a business model that creates sources for local fresh food, supports small businesses, and inspires volunteers.
On their Hunger Action Month page, Kanbe’s says, “In Kansas City, 59% of food that goes to waste could have been eaten. The system was never built to get that food where it’s needed most.”
Their event calendar is stacked this month with opportunities, such as Plate and Pallet, a dining experience at their base of operations, a Pancake Breakfast, a ticketed event to learn more about what we can do to help fight hunger, and Ink for Impact, a flash tattoo giveback hosted by Old Souls Tattoo with fruit and veggie designs, with food and drinks provided by Disco Burger and Oddly Correct.
Courtesy Kansas Food Bank
The Kansas Food Bank opened its doors in 1984 with a mission to give inclusive and understanding care wherever and whenever it is needed. They have served 85 counties with 13.6 million meals in 2025 alone, helping families, children, and seniors in need of good, healthy food. They’re hosting a community day meal pack at the Kansas State Fair, where volunteers will help pack 1,000 meal kits for neighbors in need.
Back in Kansas City, Harvesters is a certified member of Feeding America that has supplied food and household products to over 900 emergency food programs, shelters, and community kitchens since 1979. A feature of this month is the annual KC Renaissance Food Festival, where attendees of the KC Renaissance Festival can bring five cans of food to receive buy-one-get-one-free admission at the door.
Pete’s Garden, KC Shepherd’s Center Meals on Wheels, and Cross-Lines Community Outreach are additional volunteer-based organizations in the Kansas City area that provide food and resources to those in need. The Jewish Family Services of Greater Kansas City and the Just Food food pantry, located in Lawrence, are food banks that are always accepting donations and encouraging others to volunteer with them, from sorting food donations, driving deliveries, or hosting a food drive yourself.
There are many organizations right here in Kansas City that we can contribute to and volunteer with; not just this month, but year-round. Whether you know it from experience or have seen it in your neighborhood, hunger is not an issue to take lightly.
Make September the month to give back to all the people who call this city home, and help fight against hunger.
