The City of Topeka announced Wednesday the launch of the “Oh SNAP!” fundraising campaign to support local families who are experiencing hardship due to delays in the allocation of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. The initiative aims to provide immediate financial relief to community members during the holiday season, ensuring families have access to food and essential resources.
As part of the initiative, members of the Topeka Fire Department, and the Office of Inclusive Communities will be collecting monetary donations on Friday, November 14, and Saturday, November 15 in a Pass the Hat campaign. Community members are encouraged to fill the fire helmets by bringing cash or checks to any of the five designated Pass the Hat collection sites, where firefighters will be on-site to receive contributions. The City of Topeka will work with the United Way of Kaw Valley to ensure all funds raised will remain in the Topeka community and will be distributed to local organizations actively assisting families affected by the SNAP funding gap.
“The City of Topeka wants to do its part to help our community during the Federal Government shut down,” said City Manager Dr. Robert Perez. “With SNAP benefits on hold, many families are facing real uncertainty. The ‘Oh SNAP!’ campaign brings our City and local partners together to provide immediate support and ensure our neighbors have what they need to get through the holidays.”
Interim Fire Chief Chad Longstaff noted the Fire Department’s commitment to supporting residents beyond emergency response.
“Our firefighters see firsthand how financial stress impacts families,” said Chief Longstaff. “The Topeka Fire Department is proud to be part of this effort. We’re asking the community to join us in lending a hand to those who need it most right now.”
Online Donation Option Now Available
The City of Topeka will also accept online donations throughout the duration of the SNAP interruption. Residents wishing to contribute digitally can do so by following the steps below:
Visit Paymentus at: https://ipn2.paymentus.com/cp/ct01
Select the One-Time Payment option.
Critical: Choose “Finance Misc. Billing” as the payment category.
Critical: In the Account Number field, enter the name of the program — “Oh SNAP” — so the City can properly track the donations.
Enter the payment information to complete the donation.
Fire Station Donation Locations: Friday, November 14 and Saturday, November 15 from 10 – 12 p.m. and 1-4 p.m.
•
Lyman and Tyler
•
37th and Topeka Blvd.
•
17th and Arvonia
•
29th and California
•
Topeka Blvd. and Huntoon
The City of Topeka is currently exploring additional opportunities to help our most vulnerable residents who may be impacted during the Federal Government shutdown.
