Food access works better when it happens in community.

That Pop-Up Restaurant (TPUR) was built around a simple idea: instead of asking families to find another program or travel to another location, we can bring resources into places they already know and trust.

Social Innovation Lab partners with community organizations to turn their spaces into summer meal sites. We provide food, program support, supplies, training, and other resources while local partners and volunteers help make the program their own.

And the model is growing.

During Summer 2026, TPUR:

Served 4,863 meals
Operated across five Wichita community sites
Provided meals over 35 days of summer service
Served 2,025 breakfasts and 2,795 lunches
Increased meal service by 218% compared with Summer 2025

But we don't want to stop at providing meals.

In 2026, we also launched Culinary Learning Labs, hands-on experiences that help youth and families learn practical skills for preparing simple, affordable meals at home.

Together, TPUR and Culinary Learning Labs allow us to address food insecurity from multiple directions: immediate food access, practical education, stronger community partnerships, and increased capacity within neighborhood organizations.

Where Your Gift Goes

Public meal reimbursement helps cover a portion of eligible meal costs, but it does not cover everything required to operate a strong community-based program.

Private donations help us:

Purchase fresh and higher-quality food
Provide cooking and meal-service supplies
Purchase or replace needed kitchen equipment
Support Culinary Learning Lab instructors and materials
Train and support community partners and volunteers
Transport food and supplies to sites
Provide outreach and marketing materials
Strengthen the infrastructure needed to grow TPUR responsibly

Your gift gives us the flexibility to respond to what our community sites actually need.

Help Us Keep That Pop-Up Restaurant Growing

Bringing food, skills, and community together to fight summer food insecurity.