Humanity House Foundation has been given a powerful opportunity to double its impact thanks to a generous matching donation challenge from an anonymous local donor.
The challenge is simple: Raise $25,000 by July 15, and the donor will match every dollar — bringing the total to $50,000 for Humanity House’s mission to combat food insecurity in Allen County.
That $50,000 “would cover about 10 months of food that we provide to our folks on a typical basis,” said Barbara Button, executive director of the nonprofit.
The donor has agreed to match lesser sums as well.
Button noted Humanity House has developed an efficient food distribution model. “Because of how we purchase our food and use our garden, and the different protein donations we receive, our cost per meal is under 92 cents,” she said. “This amount of money would provide 54,347 meals.”
In 2024 alone, Humanity House served 691 unique households, including 2,050 individuals — with 171 seniors and 636 children among them. Their pantry saw 2,187 total visits, and they distributed 50,993 pounds of food, valued at over $100,000.
“For every $5 you give, Humanity House provides over $12.50 in food value to our neighbors,” Button explained. “When matched, your $5 becomes $10 and delivers more than $25 worth of food and support right here in Allen County.”
The fundraising campaign comes at a critical time. “Food insecurity is growing especially with the many changes taking place with SNAP,” said Button. “I anticipate we will see a growth in the needs that people are having. From 2023 to 2024 we saw a growth of 35%.”
SNAP stands for the federally funded Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
While the matching donation has the potential to feed many, Button noted it’s about more than meals.
“It’s a lifeline for those in the community experiencing poverty,” Button stressed. “It means every dollar goes twice as far, doubling support to the families facing hunger, utility shut-offs, isolation, and the daily struggle of making ends meet. For Humanity House, it provides funding to keep our programs strong — from utility relief and food distribution to cooking classes, and our Drop-In Center that helps people find directions to community resources, reconnection and rebuilds peace of mind for the moment. For the community, it means more people finding hope when they need it most. The match is not just financial support — it’s a statement that our community believes in lifting each other up.”
“This money stabilizes people who are experiencing poverty every day of their lives. It gives them the opportunity to not always respond in survival mode,” she added. “We’re helping people to walk out of poverty.”
Donations can be made online through Humanity House’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/HumanityHouseFoundation, or by mailing a check or dropping one off at 110 East St., Iola, KS.
For more information, call 620-380-6664 or email Barb@humanityhousefoundation.com.
