The Salina Emergency Aid Food Bank has received a grant of $45,288 through the Pathways to A Healthy Kansas grant initiative program from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas.

Officials say the grant funding is for installation of four solar lights and an engineering consultant to assess the food bank property and develop a site plan and recommendations for improved parking access, lighting for the community garden and adjacent areas, community gathering space, and other landscaping and recommended improvements for the Salina Emergency Aid Food Bank property.

“While witnessing a tremendous increase in demand for our services last year, we realized our space was a prime location for reinvention and improvement,” said Karen Couch, Executive Director.  “With this Pathways grant, we hope to make our property more accessible and welcoming to the growing number of visitors engaging with us in our quest to end food insecurity in Saline County.”

In 2020 Live Well Saline County received the four year Pathways to A Healthy Kansas grant which includes a coordination grant of $200,000 ($50,000 per year) and the opportunity for Saline County to apply for non-competitive implementation grants amounting to $300,000, for a total of up to $500,000. Live Well Saline County designated the Tammy Walker Cancer Center as the fiduciary agent. Daniel Craig, Cancer Outreach Coordinator at Tammy Walker Cancer Center, who was the lead grant writer serves as the grant manager. The Pathways grant addresses physical activity, commercial tobacco prevention, and healthy eating.

“The Pathways to a Healthy Kansas grant has enabled us to bring everyone together so rather than doing a lot of great individual programs and efforts we can work more collaboratively as a community,” Craig said. “Being part of the Pathways to a Healthy Kansas cohort has provided opportunities for us to learn from other communities and share things that have helped us be successful.”