Salina’s annual largest organized effort to feed the hungry is set to begin. The Project Salina food collection effort will not kickoff this week with a large gathering of volunteers, but the effort will continue during a time in which organizers say there is an increased need for food.
Project Salina unites multiple businesses and organizations in an effort to collect food for five agencies that serve meals, or distribute food, throughout the year. Food will be collected throughout the month of May.
This year marks 31 years of the effort. Project Salina began back in 1990. It started as an effort to help agencies that provide food when their need is the greatest, in the summer months. The agencies typically see a lot of donations during the holidays, but by the summer months their shelves are getting bare.
In that first year, 23 organizations gathered 56,465 food items for three local agencies. The effort has grown over the years.
This year the need is even greater for the five agencies that feed Salina’s hungry. The agencies include:
- Ashby House
- Salina Rescue Mission
- Salina Emergency Aid Food Bank
- Salina Salvation Army
- Domestic Violence Association of Central Kansas.
Project Salina provides about 40% of the annual food needs for the organizations.
Along with participating businesses and organizations, like last year organizers will use social media, email and the internet to let people know about the needs of Project Salina.
Salina Meridian Media Radio Stations will be gathering hot cereal as part of the Project Salina effort. We will be out between 4pm and 6pm every Monday and Wednesday at Dillons grocery store locations collecting donations.
