Seasons of Giving with Kanbe’s Markets
How You Can Help Us Nourish Kansas City This Holiday Season
At Kanbe’s Markets, we’re reminded every year of the vital role that kindness and generosity play in building a stronger, healthier Kansas City. As the days grow shorter and winter approaches, the holiday season calls us to think of others, celebrate community, and lend a helping hand to those in need.
We’re excited to introduce our Seasons of Giving initiative, a celebration of generosity and community that invites Kansas Citians to join us in making a meaningful difference. Through your support, we aim to expand access to fresh, affordable produce for everyone, regardless of neighborhood or income.
What is Seasons of Giving?
Hunger and food insecurity don’t pause for the holidays—and neither do we. For many families in Kansas City, the cold weather brings even tougher decisions, balancing increasing utility bills with the cost of groceries. The holiday season—meant to be a time of abundance and joy—often highlights inequalities in access to healthy food. And that’s where Kanbe’s Markets comes in.
Our mission is clear: we believe that everyone should have access to fresh, nutritious food, no matter where they live. We are here to fill that need—to not only help Kansas City fight food insecurity but also to ensure that no food goes to waste. With Seasons of Giving, we invite you to join us by to donating, volunteering, or simply spreading the word about our mission.
7 Ways You Can Get Involved with Seasons of Giving
1. Donate to Kanbe’s or Check Out Our Merch
Every donation, big or small, powers our programs. When you donate to Kanbe’s Markets, your contributions go directly toward stocking fresh produce at affordable prices and ensuring that food is kept out of landfills by redistributing it to where it’s needed most. If you’re searching for holiday gifts, we also have plenty of fun merch available on our online store—pick up a MERSEA x Kanbe's Markets Pumpkin Whimsea Candle or snag a Potato sweatshirt!
2. Become a Grassroots Grower
As a Grassroots Grower, your ongoing donation is the key to deepening our roots within the community and furthering our mission. Our monthly donors support our daily operations and ensure that Kanbe's can continue expanding our reach and impact. Every contribution, no matter the size, brings us closer to a future where no food goes to waste and no one goes hungry.
3. Volunteer at Our Warehouse
Kanbe’s Markets relies on our volunteer community to keep our programs running smoothly. We welcome anyone who wants to lend a hand and help us sort produce in our warehouse. Volunteering with Kanbe’s Markets is not only rewarding but also an excellent opportunity to connect with like-minded community members who believe in the power of giving—and it also makes for a team building exercise for co-workers, families, and friends!
4. Shop Sustainably and Help Reduce Food Waste
You don’t have to donate your time or resources to support our mission. By shopping locally and reducing your own food waste, you’re aligning with our own efforts. Small changes in your habits—from what you eat to where you shop—can help create a more sustainable Kansas City while keeping waste out of our landfills. After all, environmental sustainability isn’t limited to what’s on our plates! Consider shopping at sustainable retailers like Overland Park’s Crafted Fair Trade Collective, Midtown’s SOAP Refill Station, or any of the region’s many thrift stores.
5. Join Us at our Seasons of Giving event
From our Seasons of Giving Volunteer Event at our warehouse on November 27 to our Seasons of Giving celebration on December 5 at The Ship, we have plenty of opportunities to bring together our community of donors and advocates this holiday season. If you are interested in becoming a Seasons of Giving Sponsor, please reach out directly to our very own Phoebe Lummis to learn more.
6. Support Kanbe’s Community Partners
Kanbe’s Markets is far from the only organization working to improve food access and support healthy lifestyles here in Kansas City. Since 2018, we’ve worked with dozens of companies and nonprofits whose missions align with our own. We invite you to check out After the Harvest, Boys Grow, Cultivate KC, The Giving Grove, KC Healthy Kids, Mimi’s Pantry, Nourish KC, Pete’s Garden, The Prospect, and Thelma’s Kitchen to learn how we’re working together to create a healthier Kansas City.
READ MORE ABOUT FOOD REDIRECTION
7. Spread the Word About Our Mission
This one doesn’t cost a thing and is a powerful way to show your support. By sharing Kanbe’s Markets’ mission on social media and telling friends and family about our work, you help raise awareness about food insecurity, food waste, and the importance of access to fresh produce. During the Seasons of Giving campaign, we encourage you to re-share our posts, tag @KanbesMarkets, and help us reach people who may want to donate, volunteer, or simply learn more about our mission.
A Message of Gratitude
Kanbe’s Markets has transformed how food insecurity and food waste are addressed in Kansas City. Every year, we work tirelessly to ensure that fresh food reaches underserved neighborhoods, minimizing waste and maximizing access. With our Healthy Corner Store program, we partner with local store owners to supply fresh fruits and vegetables to areas that traditionally lack access to grocery stores and markets. We also work with food producers, farmers, and distributors to rescue food that might otherwise go to waste, and this year, we’re on pace to redirect 1,000,000 pounds of produce from area landfills.
But our work is only possible with your support. Every dollar you’ve given or hour you’ve volunteered have brought us closer to our vision of a Kansas City where everyone, regardless of background or zip code, has access to fresh, nutritious food. Your contribution to Seasons of Giving directly supports these programs and helps build a healthier, more inclusive community.
As we look back on the past year, we are incredibly grateful for all the support we’ve received from the Kansas City community. Thanks to people like you, we’ve been able to feed families, reduce waste, and build a healthier food system. During this Seasons of Giving, we ask you to reflect on how you can make a difference, big or small. Together, we can continue to fight food insecurity, reduce waste, and create a future where every family in Kansas City has the food they need to thrive.
I invite you to visit kanbesmarkets.org to learn more about our work, sign up for volunteer opportunities, and stay connected with the impact you’re making in the lives of Kansas City families. Together, let’s make this Season of Giving our most impactful yet.