Second Harvest Community Food Bank’s efforts to address food insecurity across the region, including its support for Grundy County residents, were highlighted during the Trenton Rotary Club’s weekly meeting Thursday, Sept. 3, in the BTC Bank community room.

Executive Director Chad Higdon presented the program, outlining how the organization works with community food pantries, mobile distributions and children’s programs to reach residents in need of food assistance.

During the past 12 months, Second Harvest provided 80,494 pounds of fresh produce and 969 boxes of food for senior adults in Grundy County through the community food pantry and its mobile program, Higdon said.

The local assistance is part of a broader operation serving 18 counties in northeast Kansas and northwest Missouri. Founded in 1981, Second Harvest now distributes an average of 5 million to 6 million pounds of food each year throughout its service area.

Community food pantries are one way the organization reaches residents. Second Harvest also operates monthly mobile distributions that provide produce, protein and dairy products, bringing another source of food assistance to the communities it serves.

Higdon said Second Harvest obtains food from several sources, including donations, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and items purchased by the organization. Those sources help supply its pantry partnerships and distribution programs across the region.

Second Harvest’s work also includes programs serving children. Higdon highlighted Backpack Buddies and 14 summer feeding sites among the organization’s efforts to address children’s food needs.

To learn more about the food bank and how to help, visit shcfb.org.