Food AssistanceHugoton Lodge No. 406 Donates $1,000 to Project Hope in Hugoton, Kansas

Hugoton, KS (March 22, 2021)—The Kansas Masonic Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to benefiting Kansas communities, has partnered with Hugoton Lodge No. 406 to donate $1,000 to Project Hope, a charitable food closet providing groceries to under-served individuals in Stevens County, Kansas. 

Founded in 1914, Hugoton Lodge No. 406 is the oldest active chartered fraternal organization in Stevens County and is dedicated to philanthropy within the community. This Kansas Masonic lodge has 40 members that support various local causes, including making significant contributions to the local food pantry and Hands for Hope, providing over $45,000 in scholarships to local high school graduates, organizing free cancer screenings for over 500 individuals in Southwest Kansas, participating in the Kansas PRIDE Program, and helping with numerous other community events and fundraisers. The lodge has previously donated to Project Hope in Hugoton and continues to support its mission of providing groceries to under-served individuals in the community. 

“One month, during a major economic downturn, Project Hope served nearly 900 people, 450 of which were children,” said Chaplain David Eckert. “Those numbers had tapered off until the recent global pandemic and rise in COVID-19 cases ballooned the numbers again.”

To help provide essentials to the increasing amount of individuals in need of food and other resources, the Brothers at Hugoton Lodge No. 406 have teamed up with the Kansas Masonic Foundation to provide a monetary donation of $1,000 to Project Hope in Hugoton. These funds will not only help supply the food closet with quality groceries, but it will also help families otherwise unable to leave their homes during the pandemic receive necessary resources. Due to Project Hope’s recent partnership with the Stevens County Health Department, they can now deliver grocery orders and cleaning supplies directly to families’ homes. The funds raised by the lodge, combined with matching funds from the Kansas Masonic Foundation, will be presented at the Project Hope Board of Directors meeting on March 30, 2021. 

About the Kansas Masonic Foundation:
As the philanthropic arm of Kansas Masons, the Kansas Masonic Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to benefiting Kansas communities and supporting fellow Masons and their families. Since its inception, the foundation has invested more than $50 million in Kansas communities and individuals through funding academic, scientific, and charitable endeavors. For additional information about the Kansas Masonic Foundation and to get involved, click here.