Close your eyes and get a visual picture of a soup kitchen. You probably see people waiting in a line for a tray of food and then going to sit at a long row of tables. That’s not what The Bishop Sullivan Center’s soup kitchen on Troost Avenue looks like.

When Hunger in America was released a few years ago, the study found households relying on Harvesters may face challenges related to their health – challenges including poor health, chronic diseases, unpaid medical bills, or having to choose between buying food or paying for medications.

Bob and his wife, Maggie, helped make our community what it is today. Bob, 77, worked at Topeka’s Department of Transportation after serving more than two decades in the Air Force. Maggie retired in 2016 after many years with MetLife.

Lupe’s family means the world to her. She has 25 grandchildren — with her first great-grandbaby on the way — and spends most of her time these days caring for family.

During his 23 years in the Navy, Rich traveled all over the world. He and his wife, Elaine, decided to settle down in the Kansas City area to be closer to family, specifically their 10 grandkids and two great-grandchildren.

“Sometimes I only eat one meal a day,” Tammy says of her situation. Adjusting to life on Social Security has been a challenge for her. Tammy spent her life doing hard labor at a factory and on her feet working at a restaurant, so it’s been tough on retirement to not have a job — or the same income.

At this time of year, many of us have enjoyed time at home, cozy and out of the harsh winter weather. But this simple joy can come at a high cost.