Power the Pantry Raises $90,785 for One Dozen Local Food Banks

November 29, 2023

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SCOTT CITY–Wheatland Electric has raised $90,785 in cash and food donations for one dozen local food banks during our 2023 Power the Pantry campaign.

We’re excited to share that this year’s collection, which is the equivalent of just over 45 tons of food ($1 = 1 lb.), is an 66% increase over last year’s collection (54,599 lbs. in 2022).

This brings the combined 10-year food drive total to 317,693 lbs., or just over 159 tons of food!

This year, 2023, was a special year, marking not only our cooperative’s 75th anniversary but also our 10th year since the inception of CRAM THE VAN, designed to support local pantries across southwest and central Kansas.

In 2014, our inaugural year, our food drive raised 6,615 pounds of food.

This year, in lieu of traveling in our big, red extended passenger van and hosting in-person community events across our service territory, we COMMITTED $50,000 across one dozen food banks to POWER THE PANTRY.

We then worked to DOUBLE THE IMPACT of our cash donation, with a goal of raising $100,000 for the food banks that serve as a safety net across the communities we serve.

Through an online fundraising campaign, monetary donations from co-op members across our seven district offices, local business partnerships, a friendly school competition in Great Bend, and our fifth annual Co-ops Care Charity Golf Tournament (held Sept. 15, 2023), we raised a total of $90,785 ($1 = 1 lb.) of our $100,000 goal.

The following monetary donations were delivered to the following food banks as of Thanksgiving:

Caldwell – United Methodist Food Pantry ($2,485) and Caldwell Food Bank ($4,985)
Conway Springs – Conway Springs Mission Mart (Cardinals Care: $5,432)
Finney County – Emmaus House ($4,665) and Genesis Family Health ($4,370)
Great Bend – Community Food Bank of Barton County ($13,080)
Harper – Harper Mission Mart ($8,190)
Holcomb – Horns for Hope c/o USD 363 ($2,885)
Leoti – Wichita County Food Bank, Leoti ($8,030)
Scott City – Hope’s Closet/Ministerial Alliance ($12,415)
Syracuse – Hamilton County Food Pantry ($6,245)
Tribune – Greeley County Food Bank ($6,150)

In addition to the monetary donations above (total: $78,932), additional food items from our Great Bend School Competition (7,501 lbs.) and Cardinals Care Challenge in Conway Springs (1,252 lbs.) were also delivered to our food banks. A handful of local businesses also made cash contributions (totaling $3,100) directly to area food banks on behalf of our campaign, as well.

Cram the Van has played a special part in CONCERN FOR COMMUNITY, our Seventh Cooperative Principle, over the past decade.

As our campaign and the outpouring from our communities has grown bigger and better, our focus this year shifted to maximizing our impact through CASH DONATIONS, which are preferable to food items for several reasons: eliminating waste, reducing storage needs, offering flexibility, and allowing for the purchase of perishable items such as meat and cheese at local grocers and through voucher systems for food bank patrons.

“Our goal was to raise $100,000, and though we didn’t quite make it, we had a lot of support from our communities this year, including local businesses,” said Alli Conine, director of member services and corporate communications. “We are grateful and blessed for the generosity shown by the communities we serve. We look forward to meeting our goal when we Power the Pantry in 2024!”

Hope's Closet in Scott City — Alli Conine (far right), director of member services and corporate communications, presents a check for $12,415 to volunteers and staff at Hope’s Closet in Scott City.

Wichita County Food Bank 2023 — Alli Conine (left), director of member services and corporate communications, presents a check for $8,030 to Gary Salmans (right), a representative of the Wichita County Food Bank in Leoti.

Greeley County Food Bank 2023 — Alli Conine (right), director of member services and corporate communications, presents a check to Kathleen Dowling (center) from the Greeley County Food Bank. Also pictured is Mike Thon, a Wheatland Electric board trustee.

Hamilton County Food Bank — Alli Conine (far right), director of member services and corporate communications, presents a check for $6,245 to staff and volunteers at the Hamilton County Food Pantry in Syracuse.

Horns for Hope 2023 — Alli Conine (far right), director of member services and corporate communications, presents a check for $2,885 to students from JAG (Jobs for America’s graduates) who help run Horns for Hope, a food pantry at Holcomb High School. Also pictured are Jerry Johnson (far left), principal, and students (from left) Brianna Magana, Alexa Roth, Ethan Kennis, Kendall Brungardt, and Gregory Martinez.

Emmaus House 2023 — Alli Conine (left), director of member services and corporate communications, presents a check to Brittney Knoll (second from right) of the Emmaus House.

Genesis Family Health 2023 — Alli Conine (far right), director of member services and corporate communications, presents a check for $4,665 to staff at Genesis Family Health, which runs a food pantry at their Garden City location.

Community Food Bank of Great Bend 2023 — Representatives of Wheatland Electric present a check for $13,080 to volunteers with the Community Food Bank of Barton County. Pictured from right are Tyson Ryff, line foreman, John Sullivan, trustees, Ruth Behrens, president of the food bank, Kathy Levingston, volunteer, Dax Walk, line foreman, and Marsha Gillenwater and Shirley Flick, both food bank representatives.

Conway Springs Student Council 2023 — Student council members from Conway Springs High School pose with a check photo reflecting the total monetary donations generated by the Cardinals Care food drive and Power the Pantry campaigns for the Conway Springs Mission Mart: $5,432.

Dustin Stansbury (right), Wheatland trustee, presents a check for $8,190 to Mike Alldritt, a representative of the Harper Mission Mart.

Caldwell Food Bank 2023 — Representatives of Wheatland Electric present a check for $4,985 to Velta Glenn (center) of the Caldwell Food Bank. Pictured (from left) are Dustin Stansbury, trustee, Clinton Gulick, line foreman, and Derek Callaway and Devan York, both journeyman linemen.