When Barbara Button thinks about hunger in Allen County, she doesn’t see statistics — she sees faces.
“We meet parents who skip meals so their children can eat, and seniors who stretch a single can of soup for days,” said Button, director of Humanity House in Iola.
“When children go to bed hungry and seniors can’t afford both food and medicine, we have a responsibility to step up.”
Founded in 2016, Humanity House Foundation is a nonprofit serving Allen County and surrounding areas. Through its food pantry, community garden, and support programs, the organization helps families put meals on the table.
Since opening its doors, Humanity House has distributed tens of thousands of pounds of food and connected hundreds of residents with critical resources. Its mission is to address the physical, emotional, and spiritual poverty facing the community.
SEPTEMBER marks Hunger Action Month, a nationwide campaign led by Feeding America. Humanity House is joining the movement locally, hoping to draw attention to a growing crisis: one in four children and one in seven residents in Allen County are at risk of going hungry, according to the Kansas Food Bank and Feeding America’s “Map the Meal Gap.”
Last year, Humanity House distributed nearly 51,000 pounds of food to struggling families. But Button says the demand continues to rise as grocery prices climb and household budgets strain under the pressure.
Across the country, orange is the color of the campaign, worn to spark conversations about hunger.
Humanity House is urging Allen County residents to wear orange throughout the month to show solidarity with families in need.
BUT AWARENESS is only the first step. Humanity House is also calling on the community to take action. Donations can be made directly at humanityhousefoundation.org/donate, ensuring pantry shelves stay stocked for local families and seniors.
Community members are also encouraged to bring pantry staples most in demand, including spaghetti sauce, peanut butter and jelly, bread, canned meats such as chicken and tuna, cooking oil, flour, sugar, fresh meats like hamburger, chicken, pork, or venison, and fresh eggs.
In addition to donations, volunteers are needed to help with pantry shifts, the community garden, and special projects.
For Button, each small act matters.
“Hunger Action Month is our chance to come together as neighbors and make sure no one is left behind,” she said.
