UnitedHealthcare Provides Private Donation to Ensure Food Banks, Soup Kitchens Receive TEFAP Food Cases Ahead of Thanksgiving Holiday
Topeka, Kan. – Thanks to a generous private donation, the Kansas soup kitchens and food banks that were expecting a November delivery through The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) will receive their November food deliveries ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday.
UnitedHealthcare is providing a private donation of more than $39,000 to cover the cost of getting an estimated 10,400 cases of shelf-stable food from the warehouse to the TEFAP partner agencies across the state. The shipments will go out on scheduled dates between November 4-25, according to a schedule previously established with the partner agencies.
“This generous donation from UnitedHealthcare is making it possible for DCF to deliver essential food shipments to communities across our state, providing vital support to Kansans during this challenging time,” said DCF Secretary Laura Howard.
Representatives with UnitedHealthcare saw an update on DCF’s website that without federal funding in place by Nov. 4, the November shipment was at risk, meaning more than 150 partner sites around Kansas, including in Hays, Garden City, Hiawatha, Hutchinson and Salina, would not be receiving their cases of food, resulting in approximately 5,100 families this month losing access to nutritious staple foods intended to supplement their diets.
“When families have reliable access to healthy meals, it strengthens communities and helps individuals thrive,” said Jenny Ismert, CEO, UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Kansas. “UnitedHealthcare is honored to support the food banks and soup kitchens that provide these vital resources.”
UnitedHealthcare serves more than 633,000 Kansans across Medicaid, Medicare and employer-sponsored plans, with a network of 150 hospitals and more than 23,700 providers. This effort is the latest in ongoing initiatives to address the needs of Kansas members both in and out of the doctor’s office.
TEFAP provides free USDA commodity foods to low-income households throughout Kansas. TEFAP food is shipped five to six times per year to participating TEFAP providers for distribution. Those providers then determine when and how often the food is distributed to the public.
Federal funds have not been authorized for TEFAP for federal fiscal year 2026. This caused shipments to be canceled in October. Because of the ongoing lapse of appropriations, future TEFAP shipments are at risk until funding is enacted and approved by the federal government.
What happens next?
DCF is closely monitoring the impact the federal government shutdown is having on programs and services the agency delivers and will provide updates through its various communication channels as this situation evolves. Information about federal shutdown impacts on DCF programs and services is available on the government shutdown webpage at
dcf.ks.gov.
Help for Kansans
The loss of federal funding places additional stress on Kansas food banks, pantries and meals programs, which are already strained to meet the needs of those who utilize them. Kansans wishing to help their local food resources can find those locations on the Kansas Food Source website,
kansasfoodsource.org.
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The Kansas Department for Children and Families’ (DCF) mission is to protect children, strengthen families, and promote adult self-sufficiency. DCF’s 35 service centers across the state offer a wide range of support services, including food, utility, child care assistance, child support services, and employment education and training. DCF also partners with grantees to provide foster care services to children, including case planning, placement, life skills, and foster parent recruitment and training. DCF partners with organizations, communities, and other agencies to support families, children, and vulnerable adults, connecting them with resource supports, and networks in their home communities.