‘Lee’s Summit is a community that cares.’ There’s help for those who need food

Lee’s Summit non-profits who help feed neighbors in need are continuing with their work. But they’re going to need cash before the effects of social restrictions put in place to protect from the novel coronavirus outbreak are lifted.

They recognize more local residents than ever may need their help in coming months and are encouraging people to call if they need it.

Matt Sanning, the executive director of Lee’s Summit Social Services, says the organization has stocked pantries for a couple of weeks, but will need more food to help feed Lee’s Summit neighbors before the 30-day shelter-in-place restrictions are complete.

He believes this is not a time to panic, but it is a time to step up to help each other out.

“Right now, I think the important thing for our community in particular is to not be paranoid. Work the problem. Do the best for our families, but we also need to do what we can to help each other,” Sanning said.

While the organization has been challenged by not being able to get a full weekly order of butter, eggs, cheese and milk to help 40 of the families served on a regular basis by the agency, Sanning believes supply lines will even out and stay open.

He says most organizations like his are trying to plan ahead, particularly since they expect more people in Lee’s Summit will find themselves in spots of need because their jobs and businesses have temporarily closed.

“We are taxing the system in a different way,” Sanning said.

“You are seeing a group of people who were functional and highly qualified people who are not allowed to work. We haven’t started seeing the effects of that right now. We are anticipating at the four to six-week mark we are going to be hurting.”

Lee’s Summit Social Services has temporarily shuttered its thrift store due to health department restrictions. That thrift store provides about $10,000 of income monthly to the organization, which goes to pay for the emergency utility assistance Lee’s Summit Social Services usually provides.

To fill the gap, Lee’s Summit Social Services has temporarily put its normal utility assistance on hold because utility companies are pledging to not carry out shut offs.

“The concern is going to be what is happening in June or July. Those people are still going to be behind because they haven’t been working, and utility companies are going to expect a payment,” Sanning said.

If the organization is not able to re-open the thrift store for a few months, they could be $20,000 to $30,000 behind where they need to be to keep their stop-gap utility help in place.

Other local non-profits are facing similar cash shortages. One Good Meal Director Roberta McArthur says her program, which provides daily meals to about 130 Lee’s Summit seniors, had to cancel three major fundraisers this month. Those fundraisers would have brought in about $7,000 to support the meal service.

“We had to cancel the big concert with the KC Metro Men’s Chorus that brings in $2,000 to $3,000 easily, and we always have a big influx after the parade, and we’ve had nothing,” McArthur said.

One Good Meal is an all-volunteer organization. It does not have a brick and mortar presence. McArthur says they have been able to get very close to normal food delivery, but looking forward, paying bills could be a challenge.

It costs the organization about $350 a day to provide their service, in part because they have a scholarship program for seniors who cannot pay.

“We are putting on more clients. Most of them are on scholarship,” McArthur said.

Both organizations are operating with current volunteers, and closely following social distancing and no-touch policies to protect the people they serve. Both say the best way to help is to let them continue their work by donating to organizations dedicated to feeding people in Lee’s Summit.

McArthur says she has confidence in the community.

“We are so grateful that Lee’s Summit is a community that cares. I have never ever been ashamed to be a part of Lee’s Summit. It is a very small community with a whole lot of people in it, and they take care of each other,” McArthur said.

To contact either organization for help or to donate money you can call them directly or go to the organization’s websites, where there are online donation options. One Good Meal can be reached at www.onegoodmeal.org or 816-547-6394. Lee’s Summit Social Services can be reached at www.lssocialservices.com or 816-525-4357. Both organizations also have a Facebook page.

School lunch help

The Lee’s Summit School District is providing any student in the district 18 and younger a sack breakfast and lunch Monday through Friday while schools are closed. Buses are delivering meals to apartment complexes and locations including Ashbrooke Apartments, Sage Crossing Apartments, NE Knollbrook Street and NE Knollbrook Place, NE Ridgeview Drive and NE Swann Road; Crossroads of Lee’s Summit Apartment on Town Centre from 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

They will arrive at Westvale Crossroads and Oxford Place townhomes between 11:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. and will be at Strasbourg Apartments and NW O’Brien Road west entrance from 12:20 p.m. to 12:45 p.m.

Drive-thru sites will be located at the Lee’s Summit North High School, Trailridge Elementary and Prairie View Elementary parking lots from 11:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Parents can drive up and request the number of meals they need.

The district also has drive-thru locations at Lee’s Summit High School’s front parking lot from 10:30 to 11 a.m. and Mason Elementary parking lot from 11:20 a.m. to 12: 15 p.m. Volunteers will pass out lunch for one day and breakfast for the next. Meals are for students only, not adults.

This story was originally published March 25, 2020 at 7:06 PM.