FeedTopeka began in 2025 as a collaborative effort among ministries to help address the food shortages within our communities. SilverbackKs is once again the sponsor of this year’s annual event: Share What you “CAN;” Help Those In Need!
Right here in Shawnee County, hunger is a serious challenge. The latest data shows that 12.8% of our neighbors are food insecure. This hits our kids even harder, with 20.1% of children (about 1 in 5) not having enough to eat. With the average cost of a single meal in Topeka rising to $3.63, your donations to FeedTopeka’s 2026 food drive are more important than ever to help bridge this gap.
Source: Feeding America Map the Meal Gap: Shawnee County (2024).
Food resources continue to be of greater concern to more families and citizens of our communities. During 2025, Silverbackks provided more than 7,000 meals to children Monday through Thursday at two community centers (Hillcrest and Central Park). In addition, more than 6,000 meals were provided to families and individuals on Sundays during 2025. All of these meals are provided by 100% volunteers, as SilverbackKS has NO PAID staff providing this service to our community. Instead, we rely on the kindness and support of our community leaders and individuals to help us prepare meals for people struggling with food shortages.
Our goal for this drive is 5,000 pounds of canned goods!
Here’s How You “CAN” Help!
WHAT to Collect
• Canned fruits & vegetables
• Canned tomatoes
• Canned chili beans
• Spaghetti sauce
• Canned condensed soups (i.e., cream of mushroom, cream of chicken, etc.)
• Canned broth
• Canned sloppy joe sauce
HOW to Contribute
Individuals, Groups & Organizations:
• Collect canned goods throughout the month of May.
• Deliver items to the SilverbackKS location during the designated “Fill the Pantry” dates.
WHEN to Deliver
Fill the Pantry dates are:
• Friday, June 5th, from 12–3 pm
• Saturday, June 6th, from 9am–1 pm
WHERE to Deliver
SilverbackKS Location:
1020 NE Forest (The former Lundgren Elementary School)