Philanthropy Today

We share how Center of Hope Ministry grew from a church basement to the Douglas School Annex to meet soaring demand for overnight warming shelter, and why local partnerships, volunteers, and small business fundraisers keep the doors open. A year-round shelter vision takes shape as we break down staffing, funding, and the rising need for cots, snacks, and safe space for families.

• mission to provide safe overnight shelter ...

We explore how relationship-based care turns clients into a community, tracing Pawnee’s seventy years of service, quality improvements, and growth across ten counties. We share events for the “New Day at Pawnee” campaign, Kansas’ rising mental health rankings, and a fundraiser that fuels care.

• what makes Pawnee’s model relational and consistent
• personal testimony on therapy and lasting support
• “A New Day at P...

We share how Light MHK removes barriers to mental health care with grants for direct treatment, provider innovation, and awareness, and we invite the community to The Light Within masquerade to fund this work. Stories, specifics, and a clear call to action replace stigma with access and connection.

• purpose of Light MHK and the regions we serve
• three grant types and how they work
• examples including pediatric r...

We share a full slate of new and returning events that fund mentorships across Riley County while laying out simple ways to become a Big. Our focus is on shortening the waitlist, growing male mentors, and sustaining longer, stronger matches.

• Bowl for Kids’ Sake details and $20,000 goal
• Women’s Drives for Dreams golf tournament launch
• Fairways for Futures open luau-themed golf event
• Studio 54 Manhattan g...

We sit down with Micah Carl to unpack how Kansas Infant and Toddler Services delivers free, no-waitlist early intervention that meets families in their daily routines. Micah explains eligibility, play-based evaluation, and how family-guided goals turn small moments into big gains.

• Statewide early intervention for birth to three
• Free services with no waitlist and flexible insurance
• Eligibility via delay, risk ...

We share how Prairie Paws turned Manhattan’s shelter into a welcoming, high-performing no-kill operation, growing regional coverage while managing capacity with care. Contracts, smarter intakes, and targeted upgrades help us save more animals without sacrificing standards.

• nonprofit management replacing city operation
• 95–96% live release with complex intakes
• true capacity as staffing and time, not cages
•...

We explore how the Center of Hope warming shelter keeps people safe, fed, and connected during winter nights while partnering across the city to build a path from crisis to stability. Stories of medical emergencies averted, and job-and-housing wins reveal the power of trust at night.

• what the warming shelter offers overnight
• collaboration with local agencies for wraparound care
• founding story and purpose root...

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 ...

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 ...

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 acros...

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 childcar...

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 acces...

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 
• ...

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...

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 Childre...

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 cove...

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 nee...

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 dri...

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 Co...