EMPORIA, Kan. (WIBW) - Abundant Harvest, a community kitchen and food bank in Emporia, will be continuing its services into next year.
According to KVOE, Abundant Harvest will have several partners. Grace United Methodist will partner with United Way of the Flint Hills, and the city of Emporia will help with financial support.
Support will also stem from First United Methodist Church and the Lyon County Ministerial Alliance.
Moving into the new year, Abundant Harvest will be operating under a new name: Abundant Grace. The community kitchen is set to begin operations on Monday, Jan. 5, 2026.
Grace United Methodist will be the host site for Abundant Grace. Signage will direct traffic to reduce any issues. Emergency hot meals will continue to be available at 4 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
United Way of the Flint Hills Executive Director Daphne Mertens sat down with KVOE to discuss the changes. According to Martens, some food items previously held at Abundant Harvest, such as meat, milk, snacks, and fresh vegetables, will not be a part of Abundant Grace’s effort.
The Rescue Mission will provide the new food kitchen with some equipment and supplies, while United Way uses funds from its Emergency Food relief line item to raise money and keep the program viable once city funds are used.
Martens says the goal is to have Abundant Grace financially sustainable by June 2026 and to connect with programming under the Kansas Department of Health and Environment for more funding and support.
Over the summer, The Rescue Mission’s Board of Directors decided to close the Abundant Harvest facility at 1028 Whittier due to declining finances and a focus on the men’s mission at 1236 East 12th.
According to Lyon County records, the Rescue Mission still owns the property.
Residents in Emporia wanting to volunteer or donate funds can call United Way at 620-342-7564 or visit their website HERE.
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By: Aja Carter | December 30th, 2025