JFS and volunteers greeted guests with kindness and helped connect them to local resources, including access to fresh produce and tips for energy savings at our first KesherMobile event on July 7 at Evergy Connect, near the 18th & Vine District in Kansas City, MO. Thank you to all the wonderful community partners who joined us at our first pilot including Evergy, Kanbe’s Markets, Harvesters KC and the Urban League.
At the event, JFS helped 57 families and 181 people with food, information, and hands on resources to assist them in the future.
KesherMobile is an exciting new JFS initiative that takes our successful KesherKC program out into the community into underserved areas. Food insecurity in the Kansas City area affects almost 1 in 5 families and with KesherMobile, JFS will go to partner and community sites to make it easier for these families to access vital resources.
Organized around the JFS Food Pantry – a frequent first contact point for JFS clients – the KesherKC program utilizes a team of trained volunteers and social workers who form close relationships with client families during monthly appointments. Client needs are continually assessed so staff can provide needed resources and referrals.
The program is called KesherKC after the Hebrew word for “connection,” which exemplifies the primary goal of the project: connecting individuals and families with the resources and services they want and need. KesherKC provides for the immediate needs of participating families, supports them over time, and empowers them toward a more secure future.
The next KesherMobile pilot will be held at the Anita B. Gorman Conservation Discovery Center, 4750 Troost Avenue, from 10 am. to 1 p.m. on August 12. All are welcome. JFS is grateful for initial start up funding for KesherMobile provided by The Hall Family Foundation, Kenneth and Ann Baum Philanthropic Fund, Rachel Krantz and Edward Goldstein and the Innovation Fund of the Jewish Community Foundation.
If you would like to help volunteer at the KesherMobile event, please email us at volunteer@jfskc.org or call (913) 730-1410.
