SparkWheel to Lead School Food Pantry Program in Kansas City Public Schools in Partnership with Harvesters

Kansas City, MO – SparkWheel is proud to assume management of the school food pantry program in KC Metro schools, a vital initiative that addresses food insecurity and supports student success. This transition follows three successful years of program leadership by SchoolSmartKC in collaboration with Harvesters – The Community Food Network.

The school food pantry program is designed to address one of the primary barriers to student attendance: food insecurity. By providing a stable and accessible source of food within schools, the program ensures that students and their families have convenient access to essential resources in a trusted and familiar environment. Over the past three years, this initiative has demonstrated remarkable success, with 70% of participating schools reporting increased trust and family engagement and 15% seeing a decrease in chronic student absenteeism.

Key Program Highlights:

• SparkWheel will oversee 40 individual school food pantries across Kansas City Public and Charter Schools.

• These pantries serve more than 3,200 unique families, distributing an estimated 216,755 pounds of food annually.

• The pantries remain open throughout the school year and are accessible to all students and families in need.

• Harvesters Community Food Bank will continue as a key partner, ensuring the sustainability of food distribution efforts.

“Closing opportunity gaps, aligning community resources, and supporting students and families are at the heart of SparkWheel’s mission,” said Malissa Martin, President and CEO at SparkWheel. “We are honored to carry forward this impactful program with Harvesters and ensure that students have the nourishment they need to focus on learning and reaching their full potential.”

Opportunities for Community Support 

Community members and organizations looking to support this critical initiative can contribute by donating directly to SparkWheel. Additionally, Missouri taxpayers can take advantage of tax credits available through the Youth Opportunities Program (YOP), which provides financial incentives for contributions supporting youth-focused programs. These tax credits are available to eligible SparkWheel donors through June 30, 2026.

“We are excited to see where SparkWheel takes this program and are incredibly proud to have been a part of launching such an important initiative in our public schools,” said Juan Rangel, Chief Partnership Officer at SchoolSmartKC.

For more information on how to support the school pantry program, visit www.sparkwheel.org or contact Crystalle Green, Program Director, at Crystalle.Green@sparkwheel.org.