This summer, Johnson County Friends Feeding Friends (JC-FFF) embarked on a new and exciting journey—feeding local kids from their brand-new food van. As the first summer of the program, Program Coordinator Breean Waller wasn’t entirely sure what to expect, but the results have been nothing short of fantastic.
“The whole food van process was a great learning experience from beginning to end,” Breean shared. The journey began with a generous donation from the Hughes Charitable Foundation, which allowed JC-FFF to purchase a Dodge Caravan—a blank canvas ready to be transformed. To bring their vision to life, they hired Travis Hetland from Hetty’s LLC. “Travis did a fantastic job creating exactly what we needed,” Breean noted, highlighting how the van was customized to include cold storage, a sandwich prep station, and sinks, all tailored to the unique needs of JC-FFF’s food program. We also really enjoyed working with Colter West who did the wrap on the van. He did an excellent job!
The program served sack lunches to kids twice a week—on Tuesdays at Buffalo City Park and Thursdays at the Johnson County Library. Breean explained the importance of being where kids naturally gather during the summer, ensuring they could easily access nutritious meals. The lunches, which included a juice box, chips or crackers, applesauce or yogurt, a meat stick, fresh fruit, and a turkey or ham sandwich with cheese and lettuce, were a hit. “I received so many compliments from the kids and parents about how great our lunches were,” Breean said with a smile.
One of the key partnerships that made the program stand out was with the Breadboard of Buffalo. By rescuing leftover bread, JC-FFF was able to offer delicious, healthy sandwiches while reducing food waste—a win-win for everyone involved.
As with any new venture, there were challenges, particularly in predicting how many lunches would be needed. “I didn’t know if I was going to be serving 10 lunches or 80. That was the trickiest part of the summer,” Breean explained. However, the team managed to strike a balance, ensuring there was enough food without significant leftovers.
A special thanks goes out to the amazing volunteers who made this summer possible. Ruth Straessler deserves extra recognition as she volunteered the most, consistently showing up and dedicating her time to feeding the kids. Alongside her were Melissa Solorzano, Gabriela Sacamone, Vicki Baron, and Jo Dee Foss, whose efforts were invaluable. We are also incredibly grateful to our board members, Kristina Duarte and Sallie Wright, as well as staff member Heather Gorman Haas, for stepping up and helping out this summer.
Looking ahead, JC-FFF hopes to expand the program next summer by including Kaycee kids, with plans to serve lunches once a week during their library day. Reflecting on the summer, Breean expressed her joy in seeing the kids’ excitement and their kind manners. “The best part of the experience for me was seeing how happy and excited the kids got when they came up to place their order. I heard so many ‘please’ and ‘thank you’s,’ it warmed my heart.”
The first summer of the JC-FFF food van has been a tremendous success, laying a strong foundation for the future as they continue to feed the community’s children with care and compassion. Thanks for the great summer!
