Southern Leavenworth County Leadership Class

2011-2012

Why a food drive?• Statistics

• 9.5% of the county lives below poverty level

• In 2010, residents received $7.3 million in

benefits – up from $4.4 Million in 2008

• Impact on all communities

• Personal stories

TonganoxieTonganoxie

DemographicsDemographics

• Population: 4,996• Labor Force: 2,852• Unemployment Rate: 5.9%• Median Household Income:

$50,793

Good Shepherd

• 86 families received assistance of some kind in the month of January:

• Rent (8)• Utilities (44)• Medicine (3)

• The food pantry has one full-time volunteer and up to 80

volunteers that help run the thrift store.

• The Good Shepherd only helps Leavenworth County residents. A family can receive a food bag every 2 months if needed.

Getting CreativeCreative…• Getting the community involved in donating was not always easy. • Brad Eccles/Tonganoxie Recreation Department organized a Food

Drive Competition involving the Tonganoxie athletic teams. • The team that donated the most food/ hygiene items earned a pizza

party!!• The TRC Youth Basketball League consists of 12 Boys & Girls Teams.• 489 items were collected, the winning team donated 300 items• The food drive created friendly competition for the kids while creating

awareness of those less fortunate. • If employees of First State Bank & Trust donated 5 or more items to the

Food Drive they were allowed to wear jeans to work on Friday, February 24th.

866 Total Items Donated!866 Total Items Donated!

• Contributions from various organizations within the Tonganoxie community

• Tonganoxie Recreation Department: 400 items

• First State Bank & Trust: 266 items

• Other donations contributed from; B&J Country Mart, Dollar General, Tonganoxie

Post Office.

Leavenworth - Lansing

DemographicsDemographics

Catholic CharitiesLeavenworth AssistanceAlliance Against Family

Violence

Out in the Community

1,649 Total Items 1,649 Total Items Donated!Donated!

• Contributions collected from various businesses

• Lansing Library and City Hall • Saturday morning food drives• Basketball games

Basehor

DemographicsDemographics

• Population: 4,610• Labor Force: 2,874• Unemployment Rate: 2.9%• Median Household Income: $66,047

Basehor Linwood Assistant Services

From Around the Community

1,048 Total Items 1,048 Total Items Donated!Donated!

• Contributions from various organizations within the Basehor community

• High School Basketball game: 100 items

• Basehor Community Library: 570 items

• Balanced Out Massage:

110 items

• Other donations collected from: Sarah’s Dance Studio, Dollar General, First State Bank

What did we learn?

• Not all resources are well known in the communities they serve

• Greater need for services exist than most of us realized

• Need for services is not seasonal

• Some assistance services provide monetary assistance

What We Might Have Done Differently

• Think outside of the box

• Group communications

• Project selection