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Up To Date

"Ladybird, Collected" Tells How A Tiny Lawrence Diner Changed During The Pandemic

By Steve Kraske,

Mackenzie Martin

Published October 5, 2020 at 5:15 PM CDT

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Meg Heriford outside her Ladybird Diner. From the middle of March to the end of July, the diner in Lawrence served over 13,000 free lunches and gave out hundreds of grocery boxes to community members in need.

Feeding those in need has always been in the eatery's business plan but the pandemic caused owner Meg Heriford to convert it to a full-time community kitchen.

Heriford details the story in a new book of her essays called "Ladybird, Collected." Her plan is to put 100% of the proceeds from the book back into feeding community members.

Meg Heriford, owner at Ladybird Diner and author, "Ladybird, Collected"

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Up To Date Talk Show Lawrence food insecurity food pantry Coronavirus author Books

Steve Kraske

When I host Up To Date each morning at 9, my aim is to engage the community in conversations about the Kansas City area’s challenges, hopes and opportunities. I try to ask the questions that listeners want answered about the day’s most pressing issues and provide a place for residents to engage directly with newsmakers. Reach me at steve@kcur.org or on Twitter @stevekraske.

See stories by Steve Kraske

Mackenzie Martin

Mackenzie Martin is a senior podcast producer at KCUR Studios and host of the podcast, A People's History of Kansas City. Contact her at mackenzie@kcur.org.

See stories by Mackenzie Martin

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