food deserts

The Giving Grove, a Kansas City nonprofit that works with residents of under-resourced communities to grow orchards, will translate their educational gardening materials into 12 different languages. Plus: Midwest scientists and enthusiasts are working to preserve and popularize heirloom varieties of collard greens.

The Giving Grove, a nonprofit that works with residents of under-resourced communities to grow orchards, will translate their educational gardening materials into 12 different languages. Non-English speaking communities face barriers to accessing the free fruit and nuts because information has been printed only in English.

Kansas City community kitchens are seeing higher demand as food prices remain high and COVID-19 assistance disappears. The food bank Harvesters is focusing on rescuing food waste as one way to shore up its supplies as demand rises, and donations are down.

Many of the residents of the Ivanhoe neighborhood say getting to and from the grocery store creates one of the biggest barriers to accessing fresh food. A new program involving a passport and stamps will connect people to locally grown, healthy options.

For seven decades, Kansas City’s Latino men’s basketball tournament has connected the region’s Hispanic diaspora. Meet the coaches and players who use sport to keep kids out of trouble, create community and broaden horizons.Also, Schwan’s, often associated with yellow trucks, ice cream treats and customer service, recently changed its name and stopped deliveries in many states. How the changes affect the company’s place in the food industry.

The annual event runs from Jan. 12-21. Over 200 participating restaurants have created special multi-course menus, with 10% of proceeds going to local nonprofit Kanbe’s Markets. But restaurants are reminding diners to give them some grace during one of their busiest times of the year.

Chef Shanita McAfee-Bryant started The Prospect KC in 2019 to address systemic inequitality on Kansas City’s east side through food. Now, the nonprofit is launching a culinary training program that will teach valuable skills in the kitchen.

After the Red Bridge Shopping center closed down, parts of south Kansas City became food deserts. A new proposal would fill the vacancy with a new market and bring accessible food to the community by the end of the year.

It’s Ramadan, and Muslims around the Kansas City metro are marking the holy month with daylong fasts. Residents say there are joys and struggles to fasting in an area where many people don’t share their faith. Plus: Why some counties in the Great Plains and Midwest are losing their grocery stores.

Rural areas are losing grocery stores to consolidation faster than their urban counterparts — but some communities have come up with innovative solutions.