While the unemployment rate is lower, the wages in Northeast Kansas have not risen to provide the workers with enough income to make do without food baskets.
"Catholic Charities of Northeastern Kansas is serving significantly more residents at its food pantries than in previous years.
"The organization served nearly 175,000 individuals in need of food over the last 12 months. That's a 25 percent increase over the previous year.
"'The economy has picked up, but a lot of people who have gotten jobs are working jobs that (pay) low wages,' says Kim Brabits, the organization's vice president of program operations. 'Although they're no longer unemployed, they're still (sometimes) living below 200 percent of the poverty level.'"--Cody Newell, KCUR
