Oh SNAP Food Security Rapid Response Supported Thousands
In late October 2025, United Way of Kaw Valley learned that federal SNAP benefits for recipients would be suspended due to the federal shutdown, creating an urgent and rapidly evolving crisis for thousands of families in northeast Kansas. Community partners found themselves navigating a dynamic situation as families faced the immediate risk of losing their primary food assistance. In response, United Way of Kaw Valley and LiveWell Shawnee County co-convened an emergency meeting hosted by the City of Topeka. More than 50 organizations participated, mobilizing quickly to coordinate resources and develop strategies to maintain access to food for individuals and families.
From this gathering, the Oh SNAP campaign was created as a coordinated countywide response. A central component of that effort was the implementation of a hub-and-spoke food distribution model, designed to leverage the buying power, storage capacity, and infrastructure of the county’s major food pantries (hubs) to support smaller community pantries (spokes). Generous contributions from individuals, corporate partners, and the City of Topeka campaign funded the rapid launch of this response.
Dozens of donors, including individuals and corporate partners, contributed to this rapid response. Because of the generosity of these donors, we invested $212,333.53 in our local food security system.
The five-week core distribution (November 10–December 12) engaged between 20 and 24 spoke pantries and ensured broad, geographically diverse food access across Shawnee County and neighboring counties.
Hubs
- Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas (CCNEK)
- Doorstep
- Let's Help
- SENT
- Topeka Rescue Mission (TRM)
Spokes*
- Be Filled
- Bods Feeding Bods
- Breadbasket Pantry
- Boys and Girls of Topeka (GBCT) – Teen Center
- Community Action
- First Presbyterian Church of Topeka
- Grantville UMC
- Hope House Ministries – Oakland
- I Care
- Logan Elementary School
- Love Fellowship Church
- New Hope Food Pantry
- New Mount Zion Baptist
- Ross Elementary School
- Rossville UMC
- Saint David's Episcopal Church
- Salvation Army
- Silverbackks
- Topeka North Outreach
- University UMC/Washburn University
- Westside Baptist Church
*In addition to the listed organizations, three other organizations initially hoped to participate but ultimately were unable to.
Overall, the campaign served more than 25,000 of our neighbors across an unexpected 12 counties.
Food kept flowing to those who needed it while SNAP benefits were were restored at the conclusion of the government shutdown. Even more importantly, food partners in Shawnee County created and re-energized their communication networks, working together under serious time pressure and with no existing roadmap. To get more details about the successess and lessons of the Oh SNAP campaign. Read the full report on the United Way of Kaw Valley website.