Salina Family YMCA Opens “Y We Share” Food Pantry to Support the Community

The Salina Family YMCA is proud to announce the opening of its new “Y We Share” Food Pantry, now available to the public in the facility’s main lobby. The pantry is designed to provide convenient, stigma-free access to food for anyone in the community, whether they need assistance or wish to donate.

The “Y We Share” pantry operates on a simple principle: take what you need, give what you can. Currently, community members are welcome to visit the pantry during regular business hours to pick up essential items or drop off donations. All contributions go directly to supporting local individuals and families.

“We believe strong communities are built when neighbors support one another,” said Stacy Jagodzinske, Child Nutrition Director. “The Y We Share Food Pantry allows us to offer another layer of support to the families we serve and to anyone in Salina who may be experiencing food insecurity.”

The pantry accepts a variety of shelf-stable, produce, and frozen foods, including canned items, boxed or bagged dry goods, refrigerated produce, and properly frozen products. All donations are inspected to ensure safety and quality. Items such as homemade foods, unlabeled products, or damaged packaging that exposes food cannot be accepted.

This project, once only a dream, began to take shape when a passionate Leadership Salina Red Team approached Stacy with an interest in expanding the Y’s reach to serve more individuals facing food insecurity. Through this partnership, the team secured a grant from the Greater Salina Community Foundation and received local funding from Lowe’s, Blue Beacon, CKF Addiction Treatment Center, JRI Investments, Schwan’s, and Salina Regional Health Center. These funds provide crucial early support needed to launch the pantry. Many of these organizations’ dedication has remained constant, and they plan to continue to play an active role in the pantry’s growth and community impact. In addition, a grant from Y-USA has been awarded that will allow for even greater impact.

Food insecurity continues to affect individuals across Kansas, and community-based resources like the Y We Share pantry aim to make access to food easier, more reliable, and more comfortable for those who need it.

The Y is also seeking a driven, community-minded volunteer to help keep the new pantry thriving. This key volunteer will play an important role in organizing donations, supporting families who visit the pantry, and helping expand the pantry’s impact. If you’re passionate about strengthening our community and making a direct difference for local families, we’d love to connect with you.