A new documentary produced by Kansas State University outlines how food insecurity affects families in this southwest Kansas community. Entitled “Sharing the Harvest”, the film features Garden City entities such as Emmaus House — a local food pantry, shelter and soup kitchen — as well as La Comunidad church's mobile food pantry, and the Kansas Food Bank.
The film follows 2025’s The Table We Share, which focused on Emmaus House, a local shelter/food bank/soup kitchen located in Garden City.
The new documentary was produced through a joint effort by Tom Hallaq, an associate professor at the A.Q. Miller School of Media and Communication, and Valerie Padilla Carroll, a professor and interim department head of Social Transformation Studies. Three student interns — supported by funding from the Chapman Center for Rural Studies — played a vital role in research and production.
"This project demonstrates what's possible when storytelling crosses disciplinary lines," Hallaq said. "Merging media craft with social insight, our students have documented the strength of the Garden City community while drawing attention to the urgent need for greater food access."
The Hungry Heartland project is a cross-disciplinary, multimedia storytelling endeavor at K-State that sheds light on the lived experiences, obstacles, and victories surrounding food insecurity throughout Kansas. Guided by faculty and students within the College of Arts and Sciences, the initiative offers hands-on multimedia production training while raising public awareness about the pressing social challenge of inadequate food access.
The Engaged Stories Lab equips students with the skills to investigate and report on how Kansans navigate stories of perseverance and advocacy. Drawing on archival materials and firsthand interviews, the lab fosters community transformation through student-led research and narrative.
The documentary will have its premiere in Room 581 of KSU’s Hale Library Friday, May 1st at 1pm CDT.
Please keep visiting HPPR.org for information on upcoming events, and be sure to add your own events to our Community Calendar!
