Hunger in Leavenworth is not always visible, but it is ever-present. When Ashley Hernandez, Organizing and Policy Coordinator for the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth (SCL), arrived in Leavenworth, Kansas, in late 2022, she began to notice the signs right away. Grocery costs were rising, and stores were not geographically accessible to all. Some neighbors were clearly struggling. “It was immediately apparent that there was a food insecurity issue,” she said.
What she has come to understand since is that hunger in Leavenworth is not confined to one group or one circumstance. It touches students, seniors, families, individuals with disabilities, immigrants, and those experiencing homelessness. Often, it is intertwined with other challenges such as limited transportation, rising housing costs, and financial instability.
In response, a growing network of partners is working together to meet both the immediate need and the deeper causes.
At the center of that effort is the Feed LV COalition.
Rapid Response to Meet the Moment
In October 2025, the end of SNAP benefits was a looming threat. Local leaders recognized that many in the community could soon face even greater hardship. “We knew the need was about to increase,” Hernandez said. “We had to do something to meet the moment.”
Within a single day, plans were underway. Calls were made, partners were invited, and a vision began to take shape. Within three days, nearly 20 organizations and churches gathered for the first food security forum, an effort jump-started by Hernandez and the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth.
The Sisters not only convened the gathering, but they also participated fully. They helped organize, reached out across the city and SCL Community, and showed up in large numbers. From that first meeting, action followed quickly, including a nfood drive at the Council on Aging supported by Sisters, volunteers, and community partners.
Their response reflects a long-held understanding at the heart of the Vincentian mission, that care for those who are vulnerable begins by recognizing how close that need truly is. “We don’t always realize it is our neighbors, our students, or our colleagues,” Hernandez said. “But it is.”
Seeing the Whole Picture
Emerging from the first gathering was a shared commitment to work together differently. The Feed LV COalition brings together nonprofits, churches, service providers, and community members to create a coordinated approach to food insecurity across Leavenworth County. Its work is grounded not only in meeting immediate needs, but in addressing the systems that contribute to hunger in the first place.
This reflects an integral approach, the understanding that human needs are interconnected. “Food insecurity is rarely just about food,” Hernandez explained. “It is connected to health, housing, wages, and access. That is why we cannot work in silos.”
Through collaboration, the Feed LV COalition is strengthening communication, aligning resources, and building a more effective response than any one organization could achieve alone.
Early in its work, the Feed LV COalition set out to better understand the landscape of hunger in Leavenworth County. What they found revealed both need and opportunity. Some voids are geographic. In areas such as North Leavenworth, Easton, and parts of the county without incorporated services, access to grocery stores and fresh food is limited. Other shortfalls are experienced by particular populations. College students, seniors, immigrants, single parents, and individuals with disabilities often face additional barriers when seeking support. Some families hesitate to ask for help at all. There are also resource challenges, including limited access to fresh and nutritious food, insufficient cold storage and transportation, and inconsistent funding or volunteer capacity.
At the same time, lack of coordination and information, internet restrictions, and transportation barriers can make it difficult for people to find services or for organizations to work together effectively. Naming these realities has become an important step toward addressing them with clarity and purpose.
Building Towards Sustainability
While the work is ongoing, there are already signs of meaningful progress. Community pantries are expanding, increasing access in neighborhoods where resources are limited. Organizations are sharing ideas and resources in new ways. Relationships are forming that allow for collaboration and long-term planning. “I have been surprised by the willingness of people to come together,” Hernandez said. “There is a tangible desire to not just respond, but to build something better.” There is also growing interest from community leaders and elected officials, signaling broader support for sustained solutions.
The work of Feed LV COalition continues to grow. In the coming year, the organization plans to host quarterly food drives, community focus groups, a mental health block party, and a resource fair. At the same time, efforts are focused on building a strong foundation by establishing trust, strengthening partnerships, and developing systems that can endure.
Three working groups guide this work, focusing on education and access, direct service and community projects, and organizing and advocacy. Together, they seek to meet immediate needs while advancing long-term solutions.
The work of Feed LV COalition is an invitation. Sisters, SCL Associates, SCL employees, and community members are all welcome to take part, whether through leadership, service, or participation in events and conversations. This invitation reflects something bigger than a program or initiative. It speaks to a shared responsibility for one another.
In the spirit of the Gospel and the Vincentian tradition, caring for those who are hungry is not only about providing food. It is about recognizing dignity, building relationships, and working toward a culture where all can flourish. Around the table, there is room for everyone.
A Place at the Table for All
Across the Mother House and Ross Hall campus, the response to hunger also takes form.
In kitchens and common spaces, Sisters gather to bake cookies and cakes for the monthly free community meal and support other outreach initiatives, offering something special to those who come to the table.
Sisters and staff spend time assembling goodie sacks for guests at the Leavenworth Interfaith Community of Hope, filling them with simple items that communicate care.
These acts carry personal and consistent meaning. They are offered with intention. While efforts like the Feed LV COalition bring partners together to address food insecurity across the community, these moments on campus reflect that same commitment in a different way. They are reminders that responding to hunger is not only about large initiatives, but also about being there
Sisters gather to fill goodie bags for guests of the Leavenworth Interfaith Community of Hope. In the left photo are Sisters Judy Hayes and Clara Scherr. In the right photo are Sisters Regina Deitchman, Maureen Kehoe, Frances Marie Grady, and Kathy Atkins.
