Food pantries and free groceries in Buffalo County NE.
Struggling families in Buffalo County have several food pantries to turn to for a free box of groceries. The distribution centers will provide low-income families with a free box of food, produce, dairy and other support, such as hygiene items. Find a list of free food banks in Buffalo County as well as the city of Kearney. The charities and churches provide help in an emergency. Another major focus is on offering intake sites for SNAP food stamp benefits for long term assistance that are needed by Kearney Nebraska families living in poverty. Several of the pantries listed below will only process applications to public benefits, such as food stamps or they may offer USDA commodities for children that participate in Head Start. But there are also charity run soup kitchens and food banks in the county, and these locations serve hot meals, offer baby formula, give out free produce and more, including serving free Thanksgiving as well as Christmas meals. There are also free Meals on Wheels services for seniors in the region.
List of free food banks and soup kitchens in Kearney NE area
Peterson Senior Activity Center
Location - 2020 W 11th St., Kearney, NE 68847. Telephone number for intake is (308) 233-3290 or 308-233-3292 This non-profit will serve lunches that will be healthy to the low income, homeless, and seniors in Buffalo County. A focus is on helping the elderly, and there are free low salt food items, congregates meals, pet food and more. Meats, soup, dairy, and more is served.
Salvation Army Kearney
1719 Central Ave., Kearney, NE 68847. Call 308-234-9998 Social services are for families in poverty. There is a clothing closet, pantry, and of course Christmas meals and toys. Other assistance may be financial, hot meals for the homeless, and meals for kids during the summer. There is a box of groceries from a pantry as well as free holiday food baskets. Find other Salvation Army free food programs in Buffalo County .
Jubilee Food Pantry
Main address: 1920 Central Ave, Kearney, NE 68847. Main phone number – 308-234-3880 The S.A.F.E. Center 620 E 25th St., Kearney, Nebraska 68847. Call for hours 308-237-2599 Women, including domestic violence survivors and children can get free food or meals.
East Lawn Ministries Pantry
2900 Grand Ave. #342, Kearney, NE 68847. Call 308-224-3771 or (308) 237-3158 The pantry has shelf stable food and produce. Buffalo County NE families will get cereal, paper products like toilet paper, soap and more. There are also canned meats and vegetables too.
United Way of Kearney
4009 6th Ave., Kearney, NE 68845. Dial 308-237-6840 Referrals are given to USDA food assistance programs, places for work clothing, WIC vouchers for baby formula, and much more.
Pumpkin Patch
This is a day care center that helps feed kids. The location is 4500 Linden Dr., Kearney, NE 68847. Phone: 308-237-4220 Another option is at Sonshine World. Main address - 2715 W 39th, Kearney, Nebraska 68848. Call for Hours: 308-234-1883. Snacks and small food items are for children enrolled in the program only.
UMC Church - Spirit of Life Food Pantry
310 N Tyler St. Elm Creek, NE 68836-1535. Call (308) 856-4275
Minden Senior Center
403 N Colorado, Minden, NE 68959. Call for Hours: 308-832-2139 Buffalo County elderly, disabled, and homebound can sign up for Meals on Wheels or Congregate food. Other USDA Commodities may be served for free.
Community Action Mid-Nebraska - Buffalo County
- food bank is at 114 East 11th, Kearney, NE 68847. Dial (308) 865-5683
- multi-faceted non-profit that give out free food, grant money and more. A wide variety of assistance programs are offered. They help people in poverty apply for SNAP, offer surplus commodities, give out information on other benefit programs including
emergency SNAP.
Minden Food Pantry
341 E 4th St, Minden, NE 68959. Telephone: 308-832-1221 The charity may have Peanut Butter, Cereal, the Senior Brown Bag program and other resources. There is also a thrift store.
Kearney Meals on Wheels
2715 I Avenue, Kearney, NE 68847. Dial 308-234-3000 for referrals. People that are over the age of 60 can get help in applying for SNAP food stamps, TANF for paying bills buying groceries and more. There is also free frozen meals delivered.
Find additional food programs
There are other locations that give out free food. For referrals to other emergency food pantries in Buffalo County, dial 402-331-1213 or try Feeding America of the Heartland . There may also be mobile sites and soup kitchens for the low income.