For 18 years the Coldwater Food Pantry has been a lifeline for Lee’s Summit and surrounding neighborhoods. In the past three months the organization has seen an unprecedented rise in need, serving an average of more than 700 households each month. The pantry broke its record for families served in July, then again in September, and once more in October, and officials say the holiday season will likely push the numbers even higher.
Personal stories illustrate the growing need
Falicia Madrajal, a longtime pantry client, described the moment she decided to call for help. “I took a chance today. I was sitting at home and I was like, I’m just gonna call just to see and I did and amazingly I got an appointment set up and I was able to come in today,” she said. Madrajal explained that without the pantry’s assistance she would often go without water or food, saying, “I would go without drinking a lot of water and dealing with being hungry sometimes.” She added that the experience felt like a blessing, noting, “You keep faith and you know blessings come your way. This today is a blessing.”
Long‑time volunteer Dana Cheney echoed the sentiment, describing the sight of families leaving with carts full of food. “They walk out of Coldwater with a shopping cart full of food,” she said. Cheney, who has relied on food pantries intermittently for about 15 years, highlighted the broader economic pressures driving the surge. “Everything is too high priced nowadays and our income just isn’t high enough,” she observed.
Coldwater leadership calls for community support
Sarah Knight, Coldwater’s executive director, praised Lee’s Summit residents for their quiet generosity while emphasizing the urgency of the situation. “Lee’s Summit is very good about keeping it very quiet. The demand that we see, those people here every day that are needing help,” Knight said. She noted that the pantry recently set a new record for weekday visitors, a clear indicator that more families are turning to the pantry for assistance.
As the holidays approach, Knight warned that both demand and the need for donations will continue to rise. “There’s no shame, no shame whatsoever. Everybody needs some kind of help in some way or another,” she affirmed, urging local businesses and individuals to contribute.
How to help
Residents who wish to donate can do so through Coldwater’s online portal. Additionally, the nonprofit Feed Lee’s Summit is hosting a gala on November 13 to raise funds for five local hunger‑relief organizations, including Coldwater. Proceeds from the event will go directly to supporting families facing food insecurity.
Community members are encouraged to spread the word, volunteer their time, or provide in‑kind donations such as non‑perishable foods, toiletries, and household essentials. With the pantry’s records continuing to be broken, the collective effort of Lee’s Summit citizens remains essential to ensuring that no family goes hungry during the holiday season.
Original reporting: KSHB 41 Kansas City (local) — read the source article.
