The Kansas data tell us something important. Many people in Kansas can get help, but they are not getting it. The problem is not only need. The problem is access. That means help may exist, but many people still cannot reach it.
This can happen for many reasons:
- forms are hard to fill out
- people may not know help is available
- transportation can be hard
- offices and systems are spread out
- online systems can be confusing
- some people do not trust the system
- life is already heavy and tiring
For SENT, this matters a lot.
It shows why our work is not only about having services. It is also about helping people reach them.
The Kansas gaps at a glance
Using the latest U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts, Topeka’s 2024 population was 125,467 and Kansas’s 2024 population was 2,970,606. That means Topeka has about 4.2% of the state’s population. The Topeka numbers below are simple estimates based on that population share. They are not exact Topeka counts. Also, Topeka would be counted in the metro numbers in the Urban data.
Housing assistance
About 100,000 Kansas households could get housing help but are not getting it. Based on population share, that would be about 4,200 households in Topeka.
Of those households:
- 40% are led by someone ages 25 to 50
- 31% are led by someone age 62 or older
- 13% are led by someone ages 51 to 61
- 16% are led by someone under 25
The gap is bigger in metro areas.
About 70,000 eligible households in metro Kansas are not getting help.
About 18,000 eligible households in nonmetro Kansas are not getting help.
SNAP
About 189,000 to 190,000 eligible people in Kansas are not getting SNAP. Based on population share, that would be about 8,000 people in Topeka.
The biggest gaps are among:
- adults ages 25 to 59
- adults age 65 and older
- adults ages 18 to 24
- children ages 6 to 17
The gap is bigger in metro areas.
- About 112,000 eligible people in metro Kansas are not getting SNAP.
- About 48,000 eligible people in nonmetro Kansas are not getting SNAP.
The gap is also bigger for households with workers.
- About 118,000 eligible people in working households are not getting SNAP.
- About 71,000 eligible people in households without workers are not getting SNAP.
That reminds us of something important.
Having a job does not always mean a family has enough food.
LIHEAP
About 165,000 eligible Kansas households are not getting LIHEAP. Based on population share, that would be about 7,000 households in Topeka.
About 162,000 of those households do not include a person with a disability.
About 3,000 do include a person with a disability.
Older adults make up a big part of the gap.
About 68,000 households with someone age 60 or older are not getting help.
This shows that even basic help with heat and cooling is not reaching everyone who needs it.
SSI
About 40,000 eligible adults in Kansas are not getting SSI. Based on population share, that would be about 1,700 adults in Topeka.
About 25,000 of them are adults age 65 and older.
TANF
About 64,000 eligible people in Kansas families are not getting TANF cash help. Based on population share, that would be about 2,700 people in Topeka.
That includes:
- about 44,000 children
- about 20,000 adults
WIC
About 38,000 to 39,000 eligible infants and young children in Kansas are not getting WIC. Based on population share, that would be about 1,600 children in Topeka.
The big lesson
Kansas does not only have a poverty problem. Kansas also has an access problem. Many people qualify for help. But many still do not get it.
What this means for SENT
This helps explain why SENT’s work matters. People do not live with just one problem at a time. A family may be dealing with:
- housing problems
- food needs
- health concerns
- transportation problems
- school issues
- paperwork problems
- money stress
When help is spread across many places, people can fall through the cracks. That is why SENT’s whole-person, whole-family approach matters.
Why the Family Resource Center matters
A one-stop Family Resource Center helps close the gap between being eligible for help and actually getting help. It gives people one trusted place to go. At the FRC, a person can:
- ask questions
- tell their story once
- get connected to more than one kind of help
- get support from people they know and trust
That makes it easier to stay connected. Instead of sending people all over town, the FRC brings support closer together. That is a big deal, especially when transportation is hard and life is already stressful.
This is also why SENT’s transportation program matters. For people living within a 10-mile radius of SENT, transportation can help remove one of the biggest barriers to getting support. It can help people get to appointments, services, and follow-up visits they may have missed otherwise. That means transportation is not just a ride. It is part of how access becomes real.
Why community liaisons, neighbor advocates, and community health workers matter
Programs do not reach people by themselves. People reach people. That is why SENT’s community liaisons, neighbor advocates, and community health workers matter so much.
They help by:
- building trust
- answering questions in simple language
- helping with forms and follow-up
- noticing needs early
- walking with families through the next steps
- helping connect health needs with other kinds of support
They help turn confusing systems into clear paths. SENT’s transportation program also supports this work. When a neighbor is connected to help but cannot get there, the connection can still break down. Transportation for those living within a 10-mile radius helps close that gap and makes it easier for people to stay connected to care, support, and next steps.
Why low-barrier touchpoints matter
This is also why the Southside Filling Station and other easy entry points matter. They are not just places to get food or help. They are places where trust can grow. A family may first come for food. Later, that same family may connect to:
- case management
- health care
- housing help
- school support
- job pathways
That is how real connection often starts.
The takeaway
The Kansas data show that help existing is not enough. People need real ways to reach it.
They need:
- clear paths
- trusted people
- one place to start
- ways to physically get to the help they need
That is part of what SENT brings. SENT helps make support easier to reach.
Why this strengthens SENT’s case
This data supports:
- SENT’s whole-person model
- the Family Resource Center as a one-stop front door
- community liaisons, neighbor advocates, and Community Health Workers
- low-barrier entry points like the pantry
- benefits navigation and follow-up
- place-based work rooted in trust and relationship
- development work that raises funds and also raises awareness
In simple terms, this data shows why SENT’s model is both caring and practical. It also shows why SENT’s development team matters. Their job is not only to raise funds. It is also to raise awareness. As more people understand the gap between who needs help and who actually gets help, more people can join the work of building clear, trusted paths for neighbors and families.
Closing line
The Kansas safety-net data shows that the problem is not only whether help exists. The problem is whether people can reach it. SENT helps close that gap by giving neighbors a trusted place, trusted people, and a clear path to support.
Footnotes and sources
- U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts. Topeka city, Kansas. Population estimate, July 1, 2024: 125,467. Accessed March 29, 2026.
- U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts. Kansas. Population estimate, July 1, 2024: 2,970,606. Accessed March 29, 2026.
- Urban Institute. State of the Safety Net: Program Data. Kansas participation-gap view, using 2023 data. Accessed March 29, 2026. https://apps.urban.org/features/state-of-the-safety-net-data-tool/program-data/?rate=participation_gap&states=KS
- Supporting Kansas CSV exports from the Urban tool: housing assistance, LIHEAP, SNAP, SSI, TANF, and WIC participation-gap files by age, disability status, earnings, race and ethnicity, and metropolitan status.
- Urban Institute notes that all figures shown in the tool refer to eligibility and participation in 2023 and that participation depends on program rules, funding, administrative procedures, awareness, and demographic characteristics.
- Urban Institute explains that some programs, including housing assistance and LIHEAP, are not funded at levels sufficient to serve all eligible households, which is important context when interpreting participation gaps.