On June 23, community leaders, service providers, and residents gathered at the Riverfront Community Center in Leavenworth for “Food 4 Thought: Veteran Hunger Forum,” a community conversation hosted by Harvesters to explore food insecurity among veterans in the region.
According to the Military Family Advisory Network, one in five veterans experiences food insecurity. The forum brought together organizations working directly with veterans and individuals facing hunger to discuss which resources currently exist, where gaps remain, and how communities can collaborate more effectively to support those in need.
The panel was moderated by Jury Paulson, Director of Community Impact for Harvesters, and featured Paul Finley, East Regional Manager for Supportive Services for Veteran Families with the Salvation Army; Sister Vickie Perkins of the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth; and Donnie Wilson, Service Manager for St. Michael’s Veterans Center.
Throughout the evening, panelists highlighted the many efforts already taking place across the region to address hunger. Wilson shared that St. Michael’s Veterans Center offers a monthly food pantry serving both veterans and their pets, operates a veterans garden, and distributed more than 59,000 pounds of food in 2025. Sister Vickie spoke about quarterly food drives, free community meals hosted by local churches, stand-alone food pantries throughout the city, mobile pantry services from Harvesters, and partnerships with local grocery stores that donate unsold food.
At the same time, panelists acknowledged ongoing challenges. Transportation was repeatedly identified as a significant barrier, especially for veterans and individuals on the margins, who may struggle to travel to food distribution sites or carry groceries home. Panelists also discussed the difficulty of communicating when and where pop-up pantries are available, the lack of evening pantry services, and limited access to additional support services such as mental health care.
When asked about opportunities for collaboration, Sister Vickie emphasized the importance of moving beyond meetings and into practical action. She suggested creating a more centralized approach to communicating pantry locations and explored ideas such as a “store-style” pantry experience that would allow individuals to choose the items they need rather than receiving prepackaged bags. She also pointed to the possibility of partnering with local restaurants to reduce food waste while helping meet community needs.
The discussion reflected a shared commitment among organizations and community leaders to continue learning from one another and strengthening support systems for veterans and families experiencing food insecurity in Leavenworth.
To learn more about Harvesters and hunger relief efforts in the region, visit Harvesters.org.
