Four Ways to Respond
November 7, 2025 | Doug Cowan, President & CEO
For 109 years, CSL has combatted hunger in our community, and donors have been the backbone of that work for more than a century. Families and individuals of all kinds need food support. Single parent households, the elderly, those with disabling conditions, the unhoused, foster families, the working poor, the unemployed, those struggling to make ends meet; hunger touches virtually everyone. For some, accessing local food pantries, free and reduced school lunches, and federal SNAP benefits (food stamps) are a lifeline to keeping a family fed.
As uncertainty has built during the recent government shutdown, donors have stepped up to make sure families have enough to eat. In response to all this uncertainty, CSL has rolled out a campaign entitled “Four Ways to Respond,” which invites our community to take action to help care for vulnerable people. Today, CSL operates eight food pantries and two hot meal programs that connect with thousands of our neighbors annually. Here are four ways we are asking our community to consider responding:
1) Make a Financial Donation: Your gift allows CSL to fill critical gaps and purchase much-needed food items.
2) Drop Off Food or Gift Cards: We especially need canned proteins (chicken, tuna, chili, etc.) and grocery store gift cards. Visit our locations page and come any time during business hours.
3) Spread the Word and Refer Families: Share CSL’s location information with families who may need help. Every voice makes a difference. Visit our Facebook page and share one or more posts to help make people aware of local resources.
4) Host a Food Collection: Rally your workplace, church, or school to collect food and gift cards for local families, and drop off your collection at your nearest CSL location.
Guidance around federal mandates and state compliance remains in flux as of the date of this newsletter (Friday, November 7). With the extra strain of a prolonged government shutdown, food prices that have steadily risen for years, and the approaching Holiday season, CSL will continue to increase our food responses. To date, we have made these adjustments to meet rising needs:
Increased our Noland Road Food Pantry drive-up slots from 64 per day to 80 per day (25% increase). That pantry is open on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays
Increased the number of sack lunches we distribute at our Noland Road Food Pantry on Tuesdays and Thursdays
Added a Thursday drive-up food pantry at Noland Road for November 13 and November 20 with space for 100 households each day
Ordered more food through our feeding partners at Harvesters and through the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and their Bishops’ Storehouse
Made additional food available to meet a growing need at our walk-in food pantries in Blue Springs, Buckner, Grain Valley, and Oak Grove
Increased our spending on perishable food items for hot meals at our Neighborhood Dinner at Stone Church at the Eastern Jackson County Drop-In Center
Renewed our support from Cornell Roofing & Sheet Metal to underwrite a Thanksgiving Day feast at CSL’s BlendWell Comunidad location in Northwest Independence
Your support of our Four Ways to Respond campaign can keep this good work going through the Holiday season. Thank you, in advance, for what you can do for our neighbors.
