By RYAN SKAITH
Evergy has narrowed a record-breaking pool of applicants down to 10 finalists for its 2026 Connecting for Good Hometown Grants Program.
The public will now determine which three organizations receive funding through a community vote on Evergy’s official Facebook page.
The top three agencies with the most "likes" on their specific project photos will receive up to $10,000 each. These grants are designed to support new or expanded projects that focus on providing basic needs—such as food security, housing, and hygiene—outside of an organization's normal daily operations.
Online voting is open now and will run through March 25 at 5:00 p.m. Evergy will officially announce the three winners on March 31.
- ICT Food Rescue (Wichita, Kan.): The Food Recovery Program, which connects surplus food to hungry neighbors.
- Child Advocacy & Parenting Service, Inc. (Salina, Kan.): The Family Mentoring Program, providing professional support for overburdened families.
- Urban League of Kansas (Wichita, Kan.): The Community Teaching Program, connecting families to resources, education, and food.
- St. Joseph Safety and Health Council, Inc. (St. Joseph, Mo.): The Ready, Set, Safe! Program, providing free home and utility safety items to local households.
- Sedalia – Pettis County United Way Inc. (Sedalia, Mo.): The United to Help Our Neighbors Program, offering housing assistance to prevent homelessness.
- Just Food of Douglas County, Inc. (Lawrence, Kan.): The Cruising Cupboard, a mobile pantry delivering free nutrition across the county.
- reStart, Inc. (Kansas City, Mo.): The Family Lodge, providing essential supplies to families during their stay in emergency shelters.
- Care Cupboard Hygiene Pantry (Parsons, Kan.): The Hygiene for Hope Program, focused on providing hygiene products to ensure community dignity and stability.
- Urban Produce Push (Kansas City, Mo.): The Powering Produce Program, using cold-chain reliability kits to keep rescued produce fresh for food partners.
- Junior League of Topeka (Topeka, Kan.): Period Packs for Period Poverty, distributing feminine hygiene packs to those in need via community organizations.
To participate, voters should visit Evergy’s Facebook page and "like" the photo of their chosen organization.
The Hometown Grants program is part of Evergy’s broader commitment to community support, which includes $7 million in annual donations to nonprofits and a variety of direct customer assistance and energy-saving resources.