KANSAS CITY, Kan. — The Kansas City Dream Center opened its doors in 2018 as a way to help those in Kansas City, Kansas, who need food or other items.
The nonprofit, located at 1500 Central Avenue, partnered with Harvesters – The Community Food Network last September amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
"We recognize a need and we wanted to fill that need," said Brian Hughes, director for Kansas City Dream Center.
Hughes told KSHB 41 News they help more than 1,400 people every month, dishing out more than 20,000 pounds of food monthly.
"So many of these families are one-income households and that makes a difference," he said, "because if they’re not able to work again, it comes down to situation of paying bills or putting food on the table. What really sets us apart is the relationships we build with our clients."
Clients like Stacy, who declined to provide her last name.
"It’s nice to know that I can get fresh veggies, and I can get the fresh fruit if I don’t have the money when they are on sale at the grocery store," she said.
Stacy, a disabled veteran with children to feed, said that without the Kansas City Dream Center, it would be tough.
"It would be a lot hard to make ends meet through the month," she said.
Helping stock the shelves are dozens of volunteers like Duke Bennett, who once was in need of help himself.
"For 15 months, I lived in a tent," Bennett said.
Now, after getting back on his feet, he's paying it forward.
"I made it a point to come back to make sure that I volunteer the people that are in need," Bennett said.
And Stacy is among those who visit the center and appreciate Bennett's work.
"You have no idea the lives that you’ve touch everyday," she said.
