VISTA Summer Positions

KN2E has two 35-hours a week opportunities in El Dorado for HS graduates. These positions are ideal for those ages 18-24 looking for summer employment. Benefits include a living stipend and education award. The deadline to apply is May 7 has been extended to May 10.

VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) – the domestic equivalent to the Peace Corps – is a national service program sponsored by the Corporation for National and Community Service to combat poverty in America.

• VISTA flyer – KN2E job opportunities

The summer VISTA program is an opportunity to work for 10 weeks at meal sites offering free meals for children during the summer. This summer, KN2E is sponsoring two VISTA positions:

• VISTA LunchBox Operations Coordinator (position description)
• VISTA Mobile LunchBox Coordinator (position description)

In exchange for their commitment to serve full time for a defined period of time, AmeriCorps gives each VISTA a daily living allowance (total of 70 days for the summer 10-weeks program). In addition, after completing their service, VISTAs have the option of receiving a $1,250 Education Award. A weekly Gas Allowance is available to drive to our El Dorado work sites.

Information about the VISTA program and how to apply to be a VISTA is online: https://www.vistacampus.gov/how-apply-americorps-vista.

The KN2E VISTA positions are 7-hour shifts weekdays. VISTAs filling these positions are allowed to have other time part employment that doesn’t interfere with their VISTA responsibilities.

Activity descriptions for the KN2E VISTA positions are on the AmeriCorps portal: my.americorps.gov. 

Interested individuals are encouraged to contact WSU for more information:

• Meeka Gentry, VISTA Leader, WSU Community Engagement Institute, 316-978-6502, 316-779-4049 (cell), meeka.gentry@wichita.edu

The deadline to apply now is May 10. Applicants must be at least 18 years old by June 1, 2018 to be eligible, and have a H.S. diploma o GED.

 

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Kidz Summer LunchBox 2018: What’s New?

Kidz Summer LunchBox invites children ages 1 – 18 to eat lunch with us, and then take additional foods home – weekdays, July 2 – August 10 (closed on July 4th) at 7 meal sites in El Dorado, including 6 GLOW Bus stops, and a walk-in meal site at the Family Worship Center.    FLYER    POSTER

GLOW Bus	Silverwood Apts.  (north side, W. Enterprise Ave.)	10:45 am	11:15 am
GLOW Bus	Skelly Elem. School  (west side of school)	11:30 am	noon
Walk In site	Family Worship Center  (701 S. Atchison St.)	11:30 am	12:30 pm
GLOW Bus	Quail Ridge Apts (north side on W. Clark Ave.)	12:10 pm	12:40 pm
GLOW Bus	Summit Park (east side on N. High Street)	1:00 pm	1:30 pm
GLOW Bus	Water Park @ N. Main (on E. 8th Ave.)	1:45 pm	2:15 pm
GLOW Bus	Forest Park / Swimming Pool (on W. 8th Ave.)	2:30 pm	3:00 pm

We are hosting our first annual Kidz LunchBox Kickoff Celebration on Saturday, June 30, 11:30 am – 1:00 pm at the Family Worship Center. This is a free family-friendly event offering a nutritious lunch, activities, games, entertainment, and prizes.

The theme is “Having a Healthy Summer” by eating smart, moving more, and focusing on wellness. Kids earn raffle tickets by engaging in experiences relating to those themes, such as food tasting tables, physical activity stations, and nutrition and wellness booths. The raffle tickets they earn can be used to enter prize drawings.

 

Showing our love for Kidz LunchBox Fans & Friends

It’s February, which means Valentine’s Day is reminding us to celebrate love – and to specially recognize those who we love, admire, and appreciate.

• First of all, we want to show our love for all the amazing, hardworking volunteers who make Kidz LunchBox possible each summer. This year is our 6th summer providing free meals for children in our community. We couldn’t do it without you!  Please click on the “2017 Volunteers” button above to see their names.  
• Also we want to take a moment to again show our love for the many awesome donors who provide the funding for the meals and costs of operating KN2E. Please click on the “Donors” button above to see who sponsored Kidz LunchBox 2017. Soon we will be updating this page to recognize donors supporting Kidz LunchBox 2018.

We love the children. We love their families. We love everyone who understands the importance of good nutrition for the healthy development of children, and supports summer meal programs!

Childhood poverty – survey results released!

Last month KN2E circulated a one-question poverty survey:

POVERTY SURVEY QUESTION What is your understanding about why one in five children in our community live with food insecurity due to poverty*? [*Poverty is defined as not having sufficient resources for basic necessities such as shelter, utilities, adequate healthy food, and clothing.] (You may provide up to 5 responses.)

We summarized the 140 responses from 37 individuals, grouping them into the following nine categories:

• Employment challenges
• Financial issues 
• Education barriers
• Character flaws
• Generational poverty
• Other barriers
• Safety net issues
• Substance use challenges
• Issues specific to El Dorado, KS

The summary listing all 140 responses is available to read and print:  Poverty Survey Response by Categories

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Employment challenges.
	Education barriers to income needed to support a family.
		Character flaws
			Financial barriers

Kidz LunchBox 2017 volunteers recognized

Kidz LunchBox couldn’t feed kids in the summer without dedicated and loyal volunteers! Some may only help for a shift or two, while others come weekly and more often. All were needed and appreciated.

• In 2017, we were blessed with over 100 volunteers of all ages helping at ten LunchBox meal sites and on the GLOW Bus: CLICK HERE FOR LIST
  
• Volunteers donated some 1500 hours preparing for the LunchBox, supporting daily operations for six weeks, and putting things away until next summer.
• Several volunteers came to fulfill community service hours needed for the National Honors Society and the Andover e-Academy.
• Volunteers also came from the Foster Grandparent Program at the Butler County Dept. on Aging, Flinthills Services, and local church groups.

   

              

Kidz LunchBox provides summer meals

Many thanks to the Butler County Times Gazette for publishing this awesome article about our new GLOW Bus (“Green LunchBox on Wheels”)!

Click on the green bus to read article.

GLOW Bus bringing free meals to kids soon!

Kids Need To Eat’s new Green Lunchroom on Wheels – The GLOW Bus – is ready to start taking free meals to kids on July 5, 2017. At 5 bus stops, kids are invited to eat lunch on the bus and then take home extra foods weekdays for six weeks: July 5 – August 11.

GLOW Bus schedule

• 10:00 – 10:45 am    Silverwood Apts., El Dorado
• 11:00 – 11:50 am    Family 1^st Living, Towanda
• noon  –  12:45 pm    H2O Church at 304 Main St., Towanda
• 1:00   –    1:50 pm    Quail Ridge Apt., El Dorado
• 2:00   –    2:45 pm    Forest Park / Swimming Pool, El Dorado

Other Kidz Summer LunchBox 2017 meal sites

• 11:30 am – 1:00 pm   Family Worship Center (FWC), 701 S. Atchison, El Dorado
•  noon – 1:00 pm   The Benton Church, Benton (a take-out site)

This summer KN2E is providing free lunches at its bus stops and the FWC in partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), administered by the Kansas Dept. of Education. At SFSP meal sites, sponsors provide free meals to children when school is out for the summer.

Questions?  Contact Judie at 405-308-9158 (cell/text), jgstorandt@msn.com.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.