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Golden Belt food banks offer crucial resources
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Marsha Gillenwater shows some of the items currently available at the Community Food Bank of Barton County. Nonperishable items as well as meat, fruit and vegetables are offered. - photo by Susan Thacker

The cost of food has gone up and the availability of food stamps, for some, has gone down. Three food banks in Barton County are available to combat food insecurity. Although the one in Great Bend is called Community Food Bank of Barton County, people in Hoisington and northern Barton County actually use a different service, the Hoisington Food Bank, and those in the eastern part of the county use the Ellinwood Food Bank.

• Community Food Bank of Barton County, 3007 10th St., Great Bend, is open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 1-3 p.m., but Marsha Gillenwater said people need to first call 620-792-4001 between 12:30 and 1. They are instructed to come and fill out an application.

The service is available to a family or individual up to 10 times a year. Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic, people have picked up their food from a drive-through lane on the east side of the building.

Things can get busy, especially when school is out or anytime toward the end of the month when people are waiting for their next checks, said Laura Williams, who works at the Food Bank and for Emergency Aid, a separate service located in the same building. In a recent week, 159 people were served by the food bank.

The food bank accepts nonperishable items from donors but it also offers meat, fruits and vegetables, and even desserts when available, Gillenwater said. This summer, they are running low on sodas, energy drinks such as Gatorade, juices and water.

Cash donations are also welcome and should be mailed to the Community Food Bank of Barton County, 2007 10th St. Note that Emergency Aid also accepts checks at this address so the checks need to specify which organization they are for.

• The Hoisington Food Bank is in the basement of the First United Methodist Church, 467 W. 3rd St. This food bank has a new phone number: 620-292-7277.

Hours are 2-4 p.m. on the second Monday of each month and 4-6 p.m. on the fourth Monday. This past week, 21 families from northern Barton County were served, including a family that is new to the community, said Jan Morgenstern. So far this year, the food bank has served 68 families.

It is open to residents of Hoisington and the northern part of Barton County. The first time a family uses the service, they should bring identification and proof of residency, along with a list of people in the household, including their ages.

• Ellinwood Area Churches Food Bank is located at Immanuel United Church of Christ, 701 N. Fritz Ave. It is open from 3-5 p.m. Mondays and 5-7 p.m. Thursdays. Call 620-564-3044. Earlier this year, organizers said the most-needed items were Hamburger Helper, peas, refried beans, baked beans, cereal, saltines, mixed vegetables and canned fruit. 

• Meals are also available from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Friday at the DC Kitchen, 1515 Williams St., Great Bend.

• Great Bend USD 428 will serve meals to children 0-18 years old from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Friday, July 10-28, at Eisenhower, Jefferson and Riley schools. They can choose to eat lunch in the gym or take the meal home. They will also take home breakfast for the following morning.