“We want the idea of helping others to become a natural part of their lives,” shared the Gaughan family, when they decided that instead of Christmas gifts for the adults, each grandchild would receive $100 to grocery shop for Kansas City’s Bishop Sullivan Center (BSC) Food Pantries.
As longtime friends of Bishop Sullivan Center, the grandparents raised their now-adult children to give back. “Over the years, we’d take the kids to help on small projects at BSC, like cleaning the ovens! As we’d be leaving, the kitchen would be prepping for meal service at One City Cafe, and community members would be lining up for a warm, hearty meal. The kids would get to see the need firsthand. We taught them it really is, but for the grace of God, that anyone’s life could have been so different. We have a responsibility to help others.”
Planting the seed of community giving
Now the family is planting the seed with the next generation – 19 grandchildren in all! With three cars loaded with provisions for BSC’s food pantries, Gaughan family members were eager to drop off the pantry staples they had spent hours shopping for. “We encouraged them to be thoughtful about their grocery choices. Our older grandchildren even looked up recipes that could easily and completely be put together by a family.”
A heartfelt thank you to the Gaughan family for kicking off 2026 with the first food donations to BSC!
Source: USDA, MO Hunger Atlas 2025
Food insecurity on the rise, families find help through BSC
In 2025, an average of 867 families visited BSC’s food pantries each month, and 40 homebound seniors received monthly grocery deliveries. Nationally, over the last five years, the number of individuals living in food-insecure households has tragically increased. For Missouri households, there has been a 14% increase in very low food security – meaning food insecurity is combined with hunger, where normal eating patterns are disrupted in the household. (USDA/Mo Hunger Atlas 2025)
BSC’s food pantries are vital to supporting our neighbors facing hunger.
Host a friends & family food drive this year!
Whether you’re a local business, group of friends, or a family looking to make a meaningful impact on our neighbors in need, consider supporting Bishop Sullivan Center (BSC) Food Pantries. Contact BSC for ideas on running your own fun and easy food drive in 2026!
