Representatives of LiveWell Saline County, Salina Emergency Aid Food Bank, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and the City of Salina present a check for upgrades to the Food Bank
KSAL.com | February 22, 2023
The Salina Emergency Aid Food Bank received a grant of $45,288 through the Pathways to A Healthy Kansas grant initiative program from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas.
Officials say the grant funding is for installation of four solar lights and an engineering consultant to assess the food bank property and develop a site plan. In addition, the consultant will make recommendations for improved parking access, lighting for the community garden and adjacent areas, community gathering space, and other landscaping and recommended improvements for the Salina Emergency Aid Food Bank property.
Demand increases
“While witnessing a tremendous increase in demand for our services last year, we realized our space was a prime location for reinvention and improvement,” said Karen Couch, Executive Director. “With this Pathways grant, we hope to make our property more accessible and welcoming to the growing number of visitors engaging with us in our quest to end food insecurity in Saline County.”
LiveWell Saline County’s part
In 2020 LiveWell Saline County received the four year Pathways to A Healthy Kansas grant. This includes a coordination grant of $200,000 ($50,000 per year) and the opportunity for Saline County to apply for non-competitive implementation grants amounting to $300,000, for a total of up to $500,000. LiveWell Saline County designated the Tammy Walker Cancer Center as the fiduciary agent. Daniel Craig, Cancer Outreach Coordinator at Tammy Walker Cancer Center, was the lead grant writer and serves as grant manager. The Pathways grant addresses physical activity, commercial tobacco prevention, and healthy eating.
“The Pathways to a Healthy Kansas grant enables us to bring everyone together. So rather than doing a lot of great individual programs and efforts, we can work more collaboratively as a community,” Craig said. “Being part of Pathways to a Healthy Kansas provides opportunities for us to learn from other communities and share things that have helped us be successful.”
