WHAT
WE DO
At Just Food, we are a reflection of the community we serve. Through connection with businesses, organizations, schools, volunteers, local government and individuals we are able to identify gaps within our food system and solve problems strategically. It is because of these partnerships that we are able to bridge the gap from being food insecure to ensuring that folks in our community are fed healthy foods without barriers.
WHO WE HELP
We serve on average 150-300 of these families each day. Hunger transcends race, religion and gender identification. Just Food is here not only to provide food to the hungry, but to empower all members of our community to live happy and healthy lives. We believe that neither hunger nor discrimination has a place here in Douglas County. Just Food hopes to empower and help all intersectional identities at risk of hunger.
55%
of our clients
say the main reason they experience hunger is that their
income is too low.
our solution:
Just Cook classes help our clients learn to
cook healthy, affordable
meals
under $2 per serving made with common pantry items and foods we are able to provide.
EVENTS
HARVEST FEAST
friday, november 19 2021
Harvest Feast is our annual fundraising gala that includes a live auction, silent auction, food provided by community restaurant partners, craft cocktails, and games.
KS FOOD TRUCK FESTIVAL
may 7, 2022
This 1-day festival features 30+ regional food trucks, live bands, and street performers. It is a Lawrence favorite every year!
CHEF'S TABLE
tbd 2021
Chefs Table is a collaborative dinner put on by local Chefs to benefit Just Food. This event takes place twice a year and is a fun and creative way to celebrate our culinary community while spreading awareness on how to fight hunger every day in Douglas County.
nearly
40%
of USD 497 students
qualify for free and reduced lunch.
our solution:
we have
14 classroom cupboards
in local schools to provide additional food assistance to the students and their families.
PROGRAMS
JUST COOK
Just Cook is a cooking class that teaches techniques and recipes to create affordable, healthy meals for under $2 per serving at home with foods that are regularly available at our Pantry. Classes are held throughout the community and are hosted by our volunteers with a passion for cooking, trained chefs and a Just Food team members. Through Just Cook, our mission is to build community through cooking together.
62%
of households that have used our services have at least one member with type 2 diabetes.
our solution:
Through a partnership with LMH Health, our clients have access to monthly glucose, cholesterol, and blood pressure screenings at our pantry. Our shared goal is to promote prevention, management, and intervention of these diseases.
partner agencies
At Just Food, we are a reflection of the community we serve. Through connection with businesses, organizations, schools, volunteers, local government and individuals we are able to identify gaps within our food system and solve problems strategically. It is because of these partnerships that we are able to bridge the gap from being food insecure to ensuring that folks in our community are fed healthy foods without barriers.
reports & plans
assessment & 5 year strategic plan
Thanks to support from the Kansas Health Foundation, Just Food worked with the University of Kansas Center for Community Health and Development to embark on a strategic planning process informed by the voices of the families we serve. In the spring and summer of 2018, data was collected from 312 Just Food clients via client surveys, four one-on-one in-depth interviews with community partners from Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department’s Family Services and the Bert Nash Homeless Outreach Team, and six focus groups totaling 66 participants. Focus groups were conducted with the Just Food client advisory board, other groups of Just Food clients, Spanish-speaking clients of Centro Hispano, residents of the Pine Ridge senior apartment complex (70% of residents are homebound), and residents of Edgewood Homes low-income housing complex. Surveys were distributed at Just Food, with reading and writing support from KU social work interns as needed.
