Karla Johnson shares how bell ringing, tap-to-pay kettles, and local partnerships fund year-round aid for families, students, and veterans in Riley, Geary, and Pottawatomie counties. We explore clear ways to volunteer, where the money goes, and why simple systems unlock big impact. • Online auctions expanding into services • Texas Roadhouse appetizer cards are driving donations • Tap to pay kettles solving no-cash barrier • Volunteer sign-up via registertoring.com with two-hour slots • Eight...
We talk with Catholic Charities of Northern Kansas about serving 31 counties with rent help, food boxes, hygiene kits, and rural outreach that removes barriers and restores dignity. Partnerships, volunteers, and donors help the team expand space, respond to SNAP shifts, and make sure no one feels alone during the holidays. • Serving 31 counties across north central and northwest Kansas • Everyone is welcome regardless of faith or background • Preventing eviction with rent and utility support...
We spotlight KCCTO, a statewide Kansas initiative that delivers clock‑hour training, mental health support, and career pathways for early childhood professionals. Bronwyn Fees shares how a 65‑member team serves all 105 counties with online, virtual, and in‑person learning plus one‑to‑one career navigation. • KCCTO’s mission and land‑grant roots • Non‑credit clock‑hour training for licensing • Scale of service across all 105 counties • Director of groups and community conversations • Mental h...
We follow a leader who connects counties, sectors, and people to turn local needs into regional action. From childcare capacity to urban renewal and Fort Riley immersion, the program shows how networks and context create durable change. • origins and scope of the regional leadership program • associate counties and why the bylaws matter • Fort Riley immersion and workforce context • alumni impact on childcare and civic boards • Discovery Center as anchor for Third Str...
We highlight how Manhattan Kiwanis turns pancakes, paint, and planning into visible community impact, from the Blue Mont Hill overlook to scholarships and a revived kids’ parade. Victor Steiner and Kent Foster share details on fundraising, accessibility, and inviting new members to carry the work forward. • 74-year pancake feed at Pottorf Hall, December 13, 7–1 • Funds maintenance for the hillside letters and the accessible overlook • Scholarships, including Senior Honors recognition and dra...
We sit down with new CEO Liz Holle to map how Big Lakes supports 175 adults with disabilities across four counties, where Medicaid ends, and community giving begins, and how smart tech expands independence without losing human touch. From vans to accessible bathrooms to a gingerbread-themed client party, we share how donors turn essentials into everyday dignity and joy. • New leadership continuity and mission focus • Medicaid funding limits and budget realities • Annual giving ca...
We share how the Sunflower Children’s Collective supports kids facing trauma, instability, and court involvement across Riley, Geary, and Pottawatomie counties, and why healing requires steady relationships and time. With grant dollars shrinking, we introduce Champions of Hope, a two-week, captain-led fundraising push that turns creative micro-events into counseling and advocacy. • mission and role of the Sunflower Children’s Collective • scale of need across the region serving 500+ ch...
We talk with Flint Hills Breadbasket’s Carla Hegemeister about the Thanksgiving surge, the shockwaves from SNAP uncertainty, and how a bigger space and tight partnerships kept up with record demand. We share details on the community meal, holiday hours, and simple ways to help. • Thanksgiving as peak season for donations, volunteers, and holiday meal support • Holiday week schedule, turkey pickup times, and office-only days • Community Thanksgiving meal hours, location, and inclusive purpose...
We highlight two local efforts that support people through the toughest seasons: a no-barrier warming shelter that keeps neighbors safe overnight and a memorial tradition that helps families grieve together during the holidays. Practical needs are met with tender rituals, and both rely on volunteers and clear information. • Center of Hope’s nightly drop-in warming shelter hours and services • Volunteer shifts that cover overnight windows and keep doors open • Location update at the Douglas C...
We trace the rebirth of a historic downtown theater into Wareham Hall, a flexible, high-tech home for performance, learning, and community. Blade Mages lays out the $40M plan, the acoustic and rigging innovations, and how donors and partners make the vision real. • renaming the opera house to a community hall • origins of the project and early ambitions • fundraising strategy and historic tax credits • cost drivers, square footage, and value • fully motorized rigging and show control • adjus...
We mark Veterans Day with a clear plan to support Fort Riley families and open the doors of Operation Santa Claus. Phil and Colin share how volunteers, donors, and soldiers create a seamless holiday experience built on dignity, choice, and community. • Veterans Day breakfast, parade, and ceremony details • Armed Forces Community Foundation Match Day and giving options • Fort Riley’s economic footprint and why need is rising • Operation Santa Claus mission and eligibility at...
Dave and Vern share a tribute to C Clyde Jones, reflecting on his century of service, his love for Manhattan, Kansas, and the values he taught by example. From endowments to focus, his voice offers a clear path for nonprofits and young leaders who want to make change that lasts. • Quiet service over recognition • Endowment building as core community infrastructure • Practical advice for young professionals on choosing causes • Focused missions over scattered initiatives • Love of place and t...
We bring Veterans Day into sharp focus by showing how local giving meets real military needs through the Armed Forces Community Foundation. Kevin West walks us through 31 partner groups, the dollar-for-dollar Veterans Day Match, and the simple ways to donate online or in person. • What the AFCF does and how it partners locally • Operation Santa Claus support for junior enlisted families • Central Kansas Military Community Foundation emergency aid • Flint Hills Veterans Coalition parade and c...
We share how UFM opens doors for everyone to learn and teach, from health and wellness to AI, cooking, DIY, and veteran support. We highlight a leadership lecture that turns ideas into action and preview expansion into neighboring Kansas counties. • UFM’s mission as an open community learning hub • New health and wellness classes including Pilates and glucose stability • Practical AI with ChatGPT prompting and automation • Cooking and DIY offerings like Korean cuisine, sushi, and electrical ...
We celebrate Manhattan’s Veterans Day with the biggest parade in Kansas, a salute to the National Guard and Reserve, and a free, accessible ceremony that welcomes everyone in person and online. From breakfast at the American Legion to mall exhibits and mounted color guard, the day blends pageantry with purpose. • Parade details and route from mall to City Hall • Focus on honoring National Guard and Reserve • Free veteran breakfast hosted by Knights of Columbus • Ceremony at 11 a.m. with seni...
We celebrate 20 years of Manhattan Free Clinic. Rick Hernandez joins us to reflect on milestones and momentum: a second clinic site inside the Flint Hills Community Accelerator, targeted grants that equipped modern exam rooms, and interactive patient education that sends videos and guides straight to your inbox. We talk about what it means to care for neighbors in a system defined by high deductibles and shifting coverage, and why preparing for newly uninsured patients is a respons...
We sat down with Central Kansas Military Community Foundation director Ruth Dupree to unpack how a 2004 grassroots effort grew into a fast, reliable safety net. Ruth shares moving stories, a temporary fence so an autistic child can play safely, emergency help for a new arrival who received no pay due to a system error, and support for parents making repeated medical trips when the Ronald McDonald House is full. The pattern is clear: quick relief, simple process, and deep respect for the reali...
We share how our 360 Life Center model turns a former store into a hub for emergency aid, street outreach, free clothing, meals, and community gatherings. We ask listeners to help us hit a modest auction goal that keeps rent, utilities, food, and medication assistance local. • what a 360 life center is and why it differs from big-city salvation armies • renovations that enable meals, more freezer space, and a larger case manager office • free clothing closet, no-cook food, tents and sleeping...
We share how Wonder Workshop is growing after a whirlwind summer, honoring Richard Pitts’ legacy while launching new programs, exhibits, and a reimagined Soul Food Dinner. We talk candidly about needs—supplies, volunteers, and funding—and how small actions keep the doors open. • Remembering Richard Pitts and the roots of Wonder Workshop • The giant blue chair as a beacon for new visitors • Weekly preschool sessions with tripled attendance • Rotating afterschool programs and Discovery Days • ...
We share what the Crisis Center does each day to keep survivors safe—from 24/7 advocacy to a confidential shelter now delivering roughly 9,300 bed nights a year—and why outreach, staffing, and community support are crucial. We also unveil the Clothesline Project at Manhattan Town Center and invite help for the holidays through gifts, volunteers, and essentials. • what our safe shelter and advocacy services include • the rise from 2,500 to about 9,300 bed nights • police co-response and why i...