OREANDA-NEWS. The Walmart Foundation's Kansas State Giving Program has awarded USD 315,000 to eight nonprofits throughout the state dedicated to serving residents through its core areas of giving: hunger relief and healthy eating, sustainability, career opportunity and women's economic empowerment.

"We're honored to play our part in helping Kansas residents live better by supporting organizations that make a significant impact across the state," said Mindy Ellis, senior director and regional general manager, Walmart. "Each of the organizations is uniquely positioned to address the needs of the communities they serve and we look forward to seeing how they assist Kansas residents with the help of a State Giving grant."

The Walmart Foundation's State Giving Program supports organizations that create opportunities so people can live better, awarding grants that have a long-lasting, positive impact on communities across the U.S. Twice a year, the Kansas State Giving Program looks for organizations that address the needs of the communities they serve and make a significant social impact.

The following nonprofits received a second cycle State Giving grant to fund vital local programs that have proven to help those in Kansas live better. Nonprofit recipients in Kansas include:

Boy & Girls Club of Manhattan received a USD 25,000 grant to support Portable Kitchen, a pilot program being tested with youth, kindergarten through 12th grade. This grant will allow the Boys & Girls Club of Manhattan to partner with the Home Baking Association (HBA), Share Our Strength and various test kitchens to develop, produce and contribute to educational resources and training videos for the Portable Kitchen.

"The Boys & Girls Club of Manhattan is grateful to receive a Walmart Foundation State Giving grant," said Kelly Carmody, Boys & Girls Club of Manhattan. "The grant will help fund the Portable Kitchen curriculum and training to ensure Club members are given the tools to live a more active and healthy lifestyle. It truly brings Club programs full circle with a real life experience that they can take with them."

Boys & Girls Club of Topeka received a USD 30,294 grant to support its afterschool meal program that was launched in March 2014. The grant will enable the Boys & Girls Club of Topeka to continue renovations of its outdated kitchen that is currently unusable for prepping and serving meals.

"The Walmart Grant is a vital pillar to stabilizing the foundation for Boys & Girls Clubs of Topeka's commitment to the youth outcome area of Healthy Lifestyles. With a membership ranging in ages 5 years old to 18 years old and 87% of those kids living in poverty, the provision of healthy meals and snacks is a critical component to building stronger minds, bodies and souls," said Dawn McWilliams, Chief Professional Officer. "The funding was used to aid in the upgrade of a commercial kitchen in The Adams Club to prepare healthy meals & snacks and provide a cafeteria style dining area for members to enjoy those delicious meals in the safety of their Club with those caring mentors that guide their positive and productive development."