Feed Northland Kids

06/19/2026

Big thanks to our incredible volunteers!

We want to give a massive shoutout to the amazing groups who joined us for our recent Community Food Kit Packing events. Over 500 kits were created!

- Smithville Interact Club, FCS, PEO Sorority
- First Baptist Church of Platte City
- The Krueger Family out of Smithville

Feed Northland Kids relies heavily on volunteers to support our programs. By engaging our wonderful community in service, we are able to keep our overhead costs incredibly low.

What does that mean? It ensures that the vast majority of the money we raise goes directly toward purchasing food for the youth who need it most.

We could not do this vital work without your hands, your time, and your hearts. Thank you for helping us Feed Northland Kids! 💙

06/13/2026

Congrats, Debbie!!

EXCITING NEWS! We are thrilled to finally announce that Debbie Espinosa has been selected as our new president and CEO! Her first official day with us will be August 31.

Debbie joins us from FIND Food Bank, a fellow Feeding America network food bank serving California’s Greater Palm Springs desert region, where she served as President and CEO since 2018.

She is a seasoned nonprofit leader with more than 30 years of experience, spanning local, regional, national and international organizations, which gives her a broad perspective on addressing complex community challenges through collaboration and innovation.

Debbie actually began her early days right here in Kansas City as an intern at Harvesters where she worked on leadership development through the Nonprofit Leadership Alliance. She graduated from Rockhurst University with bachelor’s degrees in Sociology and Comparative Religion, along with a minor in Nonprofit Management.

“I am honored to join Harvesters and return to a community that played such an important role in shaping my personal and professional journey,” said Espinosa. “Many of the values that have guided my career in service, collaboration, and a commitment to helping others thrive were strengthened through the mentors, colleagues, and experiences I had in Kansas City. Over the years, I have admired Harvesters’ leadership, innovation, and commitment to serving people in need with dignity and compassion. I look forward to listening, learning, and working alongside the dedicated staff, Board of Directors, volunteers, donors, and community partners who make this organization’s impact possible every day. Together, we will build on Harvesters’ strong foundation and continue to innovate food security systems to best serve our neighbors across our region.”

Read more about Debbie here: www.harvesters.org/harvesters-names-new-president-and-ceo-2

06/10/2026

Grab a meal and make a difference! Swing by Chick-fil-A I 29 & Barry Road and pick up a gallon of Pineapple Dragonfruit Tea or Lemonade. Through July 4, a portion of every gallon sold benefits Feed Northland Kids! 🍍🥤
Refreshing for you. Impactful for local kids.

06/09/2026

🧡🧡 We are incredibly grateful to the KC Weasels for hosting another amazing and successful Know Norm Run. Through their generosity, dedication, and community spirit, they raised over $16,000 for Feed Northland Kids. Thank you for making such a meaningful impact in the lives of local children. We appreciate you more than words can say! 🧡🧡

06/03/2026

Our friends at the 8th Annual Know Norm Run are making it easy to support local kids - even if you can’t make the ride this Saturday! Stop by Worth Harley-Davidson Bike Night, grab a super cool T-shirt, and help support Feed Northland Kids. 💙

Can’t make the Know Norm Run this Saturday? You can still be part of the reason we ride.

We’ll have this year’s 8th Annual Know Norm Run T-shirts available tomorrow night at Worth Harley-Davidson Bike Night.

Shirts are only $20, and every one helps support Feed Northland Kids and hungry children right here in our community.

Grab one for yourself. Grab one for a friend.

You don’t have to be on the ride to be part of the reason it matters. 🇺🇸

***See Event Details In The Comments Below***

05/22/2026

What a rush!! Nice job!! 😁🎉

04/14/2026

We are incredibly grateful to CK Supply for their generous donation of $4,190.50 in support of Feed Northland Kids. Their commitment to helping children in our community have reliable access to food makes a meaningful difference in the lives of so many families. We also extend our sincere thanks to David Hanchette (far left) and Matt Russell (far right) for representing CK Supply at the check presentation — it was a pleasure to connect and celebrate this shared commitment to making an impact. Together, we are helping ensure no child goes hungry. Also pictured are Board President Michael Short and Executive Director Colleen Wachter.

03/10/2026

We'd love to see you there!

03/10/2026

Feed Northland Kids is pleased to announce that Colleen Wachter will serve as the organization’s next Executive Director.

A longtime Northland resident, Colleen brings 25 years of high-level nonprofit executive and fundraising experience to the job. Colleen began her career staging events and raising funds for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society before joining the Mid-America chapter of The ALS Association, where she served as Executive Director and oversaw operations in a three-state area. Most recently, she served as Director of the Advancement Board for the University of Kansas Academic Medical Center, where she worked with civic, business, nonprofit and philanthropic leaders to advance the mission of the region’s premier academic medical center.

Colleen and her husband Jason have three sons – Teague, Kellen and Barrett – and she enjoys cheering on their boys at their sporting events, reading and being active in the community.

“The Northland is such a generous place,” Colleen said. “I am excited to work in the community where I live, and to support some of our most vulnerable students and families.” Feed Northland Kids board president Michael Short expressed his enthusiasm for this new chapter in the group’s history. “Colleen Wachter has a long record of success and dedication to some of the most prestigious and successful nonprofit organizations in our region,” he said. “We are excited for her to lead Feed Northland Kids into the future.”

Colleen will begin her duties on March 16, 2026.

To learn more about Feed Northland Kids, including how you can help, please visit feednorthlandkids.org.

02/25/2026

💪💪 brought their muscle to our Community Food Kit packing event. We cannot do this work without partners, like you!