Category: Donate

Holiday365 Monthly Donor program FUUD Pantry Holiday giving
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How to guarantee a joyful holiday season — and beyond!

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Is it possible to guarantee a joyful holiday season for you and your community?

The answer is yes! And it doesn’t have to cost more than your everyday favorite coffee!

At this holiday season, the FUUD Pantry in Lenexa offers an easy recurring gift program: FUUD365, aka HOLIDAY365.

Set up Your HOLIDAY365 Donation Now!

Why give 365?

Family Meal Monthly donation

When you setup a recurring monthly donation — even for just $20 or $30 a month — your gift doesn’t just make Thanksgiving or Christmas joyful! It creates SEASONS and SEASONS of joy. Our FUUD365 program is specifically designed to ensure you can make a REAL impact on hunger in the Kansas City area, sending joy into every corner of the year!

Did You Know?

Food insecurity is a year-round issue. Food banks experience their lowest donation levels during the summer. Why? Because public giving decreases in summer, and demand increases when kids are out of school and away from school breakfast and lunch programs. Families must then rely on food banks to make up for the missed meals.

Your monthly giving ensures that EVERY season is a giving season. You make a lasting impact on your community and you allow our volunteer leaders to plan and budget for families in needs.

Thank you in advance for your generous investment in the health and happiness of your KC-area neighbors in need!

Set up Your HOLIDAY365 Donation Now!

Click to donate monthly now to HOLIDAY365 at the FUUD Pantry. Your support provides stable meals and SEASONS of joy.

Wishing you and yours a happy holidays now — and all year long! 

—Yvonne, Pat, Terry and all of the FUUD Pantry volunteers

Kansas City Holiday fun activity
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Have Holiday Fun this 2025 Season!

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No doubt it’s been a rough year so far! Time to get out of the house and shake off the doldrums with some holiday fun! What better way to do that with a holiday activity you can do with a pal that gives back to your community?

Grab the FREE holly jolly, give-back REVERSE Advent Calendar for 2025!

fun holiday activity Kansas City 2025 advent calendar shopping

Download the PDF and grab a friend (and your favorite grocery ads!) ‘Tis the season for holiday sharing and caring — but mostly for seasonal fun! The Reverse Advent Calendar lets you scratch that shopping itch while doing some good for your neighbors.

How the Reverse Advent Calendar Works

what to do KC fun Christmas shopping activity friends 2025

It’s easy!

  1. Download the pdf of the calendar. Save it to your notes or print it out.
  2. Shop, collect, or make a scavenger hunt of the items on the list!
  3. Ho-ho-haul the items to the FUUD Pantry (see hours below)

That’s it!

Download the Reverse Advent Calendar

FAQs: Reverse Advent Calendar

Do I receive bonus points if I sing holiday cheer loudly for all to hear?
OF COURSE!

Do I need to complete the entire list?
Heck no! In fact, any amount of food items you collect and deliver to the FUUD Pantry automagically puts you on the NICE LIST!

I have a lot of rusted, dented, and expired foods in my cupboard, plus some open stale cereal. Will that do?
Uhhh no. Please throw that out. We are not allowed to accept expired or opened products.

Can I share this list with others?
Yes, PLEASE! Some people even create Facebook events of their own or share the list with their church! Feel free to share our Reverse “Advent” Calendar to anyone or any group who wishes to participate. The FUUD Pantry is always in need of shelf-stable food and toiletry donations.

What hours can I drop off the food?
Our hours for drop-off are Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9:30-2 p.m. and Sundays 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Or you can call or text for an appointment. A friendly elf will assist you at 913-228-2993.

What is the FUUD Pantry?
The FUUD Pantry is a volunteer-run, food pantry at the Shawnee Mission Unitarian Universalist Church in Lenexa, Kansas. We are open weekly on Tuesday afternoons, offering food and supplies to all that come through. We have been serving the community since summer 2020.

A Lego Star Wars Advent Calendar

By the way, what is “Advent”?
For those not familiar with Advent, it’s a season of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the nativity of Jesus. Most Christian religions celebrate the four weeks/four Sundays before Christmas as a time of spiritual preparation.

There are many kinds of secular and non-secular Advent calendars out there!!

For those who don’t celebrate Advent: with the arrival of winter’s low dark sky, communities around the world look to the miracle of light as a sign of rebirth and a source of hope.

We can celebrate the promise of new life and recommit ourselves to the protection of everyone’s right to his or her own radiant humanity.

woman reading book to toddler
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Where to Donate Children’s Books

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Did you know we offer free books to kids who come through our shelter every week?

And they sure do take them! The shelf is starting to get bare!

Did you know: School-age children spend 80% of their waking hours outside of school, but 61% of families in under-resourced neighborhoods have no books for the children in their homes.  Children who read proficiently by third grade will be more successful in school and life. 

The FUUD Pantry at SMUUCh collects gently used books of all kinds to ensure every family that visits can take books home.

It’s time for another book collection. Our volunteer Jamie helps us organize collection. We offer multiple ways for you to donate — it doesn’t just have to be

Here are Jamie’s official how tos for getting more books for our shelves.

3 Ways to Support the FUUD Pantry Book Drive

  1. Donate gently used picture books!
  2. Donate used books of any type – Jamie will trade them in for kids’ and youth books!
  3. Organize your own book drive in your neighborhood or school! Create a flyer (or request one from us!) and send it to friends, neighbors, scout troops etc. We can help with the pick up! (See below)
Donate childrens books Lenexa Kansas City food pantry
We need more picture books please!

How, When & Where to Donate

  • Sundays – Between 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. – in the FUUD Pantry donation bin outside the SMUUCh church office
  • Tuesdays – 2-6 p.m. at the FUUD Pantry
  • Wednesdays – 5-7 p.m. – in the FUUD Pantry donation bin outside the SMUUCh church office
  • Organize a Pick up – Do you live nearby? To arrange a volunteer pick up, please email me. 

Prefer to make a monetary donation? 

Make checks out to SMUUCh with “FUUD Pantry Books” in the memo line. 

Checks can be mailed to:

SMUUCh FUUD PANTRY
c/o Shawnee Mission UU Church
9400 Pflumm Ave
Lenexa, Kansas 66215

Cheerios are Gluten Free
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Food Pantry Donations Needed

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NEEDS: Boxed Cereal (and More)

Also needed: Non-food items such as cleaning and household supplies, over-the-counter medicines, and personal care items.

NOTE: All donations should be unopened and non-expired.

Lucky Charms are Gluten Free
Lucky Charms are Gluten Free
Rice Chex are Gluten Free
Rice Chex are Gluten Free
Cheerios are Gluten Free
Cheerios are Gluten Free

The FUUD Pantry has an ongoing need for donations of shelf-stable food.

To help clients maintain a healthy diet and manage chronic health conditions, donations of low sodium and low sugar products are especially needed.

How to Drop off Your Donation

They can be placed in the donation tubs across from the church office… or contact the pantry at 913-228-2993 to make other arrangements.

Thanks for helping provide a variety of healthful and useful items to the pantry!