Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Dear Heavenly Father,
we just come humbly before you
and we thank you, lord, for thisday that you've given to us,
and Lord, this time to recordthis podcast.
Lord, we thank you for just theincredible community partners
and Lord, we thank you for ourspecial guest today and Lord,
his heart and Lord, I just prayyour blessing over this time in
this conversation and Lord, thatears that would hear it would
be encouraged.
Lord, to some action today.
(00:20):
Father, that we would lovethose in front of us.
Father, we love you and wepraise your name.
Amen.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
Hello everybody,
Thank you for joining us for our
Community, Our Mission, apodcast of the Topeka Rescue
Mission.
I'm Barry Feeker, your hosttoday, here with Lamanda Broyles
, Executive Director, and MarionCrable, Deputy Director.
We don't edit here OfSupporting Services, Hi Mary,
Forgive me for that would you.
Speaker 3 (00:49):
It's okay, yeah, it's
okay.
It's cold again outside.
That's the problem, right thereyeah.
If it would be warm, youwouldn't have made even one
mistake.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
Yeah, so I failed to
mention the date.
We are on February, the 5th of2025.
So for the FCC part of this, no, we don't do that, do we Josh?
Speaker 3 (01:05):
No.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
So we're good, but it
is podcast number 255, for
those of you who are on trackfor listening to every single
one, which.
There are some people, thereare a couple, there are some
folks out there, josh, I thinkyour mom's one, mom yep Do you
remind her every week, Anothershout out.
Speaker 1 (01:20):
She'll regularly text
me and say that was a great
podcast.
Speaker 2 (01:23):
Oh, that's very cool
Love you, mom.
Speaker 4 (01:24):
Yeah, thank you, mama
Turley.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
Hopefully that's
every time.
She texts you then.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
But uh, there's been
a couple that she's like.
That was an obstacle.
Speaker 4 (01:32):
Who was that?
And it's always when we don'thave a guest, and it's just us
three.
Exactly.
Nobody ever likes those oh.
Speaker 2 (01:40):
Oh well, thank you
for being faithful listeners.
If this is your first time, orthis is your 255th time, we
appreciate that we're already inFebruary of 2025.
We're January ago.
Speaker 3 (01:51):
It was quick.
Speaker 1 (01:53):
But also really long.
Speaker 4 (01:54):
Yeah, Are you kidding
me?
Speaker 3 (01:57):
Three years happened
in January I know but does it
seem like the year is alreadyFebruary?
Well, we're not talking aboutthat, okay.
Speaker 4 (02:03):
Because there's a lot
that was due in January.
There was a lot and it didn'tget done in January.
Speaker 2 (02:09):
They threw warming
centers into it and record snows
and all that jazz.
Speaker 3 (02:13):
There was that kind
of stuff, that happened, that
kind of stuff.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
But we got a little
lull.
Right now it's cold again.
Speaker 3 (02:19):
You know, we kind of
don't talk about lulls.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
No.
Speaker 3 (02:22):
That just invites
chaos.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
Well, and we won't
talk about the groundhog.
Speaker 3 (02:27):
Apparently he saw a
shadow, I know.
Speaker 4 (02:28):
He did yeah.
Six more weeks.
Speaker 1 (02:32):
I'm guessing that's
why it turned cold all of a
sudden.
Speaker 4 (02:34):
We had beautiful
weather and then it's cold
Yesterday and then all of asudden I'm not really sure
groundhogs were on Noah's Ark.
You weren't, no.
Speaker 3 (02:42):
You think they came
after.
Speaker 4 (02:43):
It makes me yes, Keep
going Anything that would
predict six more weeks of winter.
I don't think it's from God,and so I don't know who created
groundhogs, but I'm not sure myLord did, or I need it to be a
different groundhog.
So he predicts spring.
Speaker 3 (02:57):
I am so confident
right now that we are in line
for something to come throughthe ceiling or a comment on
Facebook.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
I know that's right.
Speaker 4 (03:06):
I'm just kidding, I
love groundhogs, but I'm pretty
mad that we're going to havemore winter.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
We're going to pivot
away from theology right now to
the more important things hereabout the value of the day of
February 5th every year globally.
Okay, are those very, veryimportant things that we talk
about occasionally, like almostevery time on this podcast?
Okay, are those very, veryimportant things that we talk
about occasionally?
Speaker 3 (03:27):
like almost every
time on this podcast.
Speaker 2 (03:29):
So world Nutella day.
You know, world Nutella day.
Speaker 3 (03:35):
I am a fan.
Okay, it's the best spread.
It's the best spread ever.
Except they kind of act likeit's healthy.
It's not healthy, but it isreally good on toast or
strawberries.
Speaker 2 (03:46):
Okay, would you
explain why?
Speaker 3 (03:48):
Because it tastes
really good.
Speaker 1 (03:49):
That's why it's a
chocolate spread.
What more do you need it's?
Speaker 3 (03:53):
chocolate and
hazelnut.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
Okay.
Hazelnut butter, okay.
So it's not just Nutella, it'sa special flavor.
Speaker 3 (03:58):
It's hazelnut butter
with chocolate in it?
Speaker 2 (04:02):
Okay, it's the
chocolate part.
Okay, yeah, I'm not in it.
Speaker 4 (04:04):
I'm not either.
I'm a peanut butter girl.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
But the Italians
first introduced it in 1964.
I don't know why they waited solong, but anyway it was first
held as a world recognized dayin 2007.
I'm not sure it's worth a day.
Yeah Me either.
So I see it in the grocerystore.
Speaker 1 (04:20):
I keep walking, so
anyway, I'll be honest, there's
a lot.
There's a lot worse days.
Speaker 2 (04:24):
I mean, this was, you
know, one of the better ones to
something a little moreappropriate to what we were
talking about.
It's national weather person'sday.
They need a day because peoplehate their guts, I mean to the
groundhog, to the weather guy.
No we have some great weather.
People in Topeka, kansas, yes,and when they predict it and
it's right and we didn't closeeverything down and it really
(04:46):
does snow.
They was good guys.
Yeah, we close everything downas bright and sunshiny out, we
don't like them so much.
But anyway so hug yourweatherman today if you see him,
and send him a nice textmessage or something like that,
because probably he needs it.
So it's somebody who continuesto keep their job and they're
wrong most of the time, so butanyway.
But we still listen to thembecause they've got an inside,
(05:09):
just like the groundhog does.
So one more here from ourresearch and development
department.
Thank you, josh.
National Pork Rind Day.
Speaker 1 (05:18):
National Pork.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
Rind Day, okay.
So you're driving the grocerystore, going down, you're
looking at your phone for theweather and you see Nutella
sitting over there.
You keep on going by, so yousee the pork rinds, and so what
do you do now?
Speaker 3 (05:29):
Well, I'm going to be
a little behind you, because I
did stop for the Nutella, butI'm definitely stopping for the
pork rinds.
Okay, why.
No, because it's basically air.
Just good that you air, justgood that you're chopping well
and eating, but it tastes kindof like bacon and everything
pork and bacon is good.
Have you ever seen the movie,babe?
I?
Speaker 2 (05:50):
have.
Yeah, why would you eat porkrinds in?
Speaker 3 (05:54):
I eat pork chops too,
so I also eat bacon, and ham
people but you know I'm alwaysvery grateful to those little
oinkers.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
It's called our
community, our mission.
Not everybody agrees abouteverything here, so yeah.
Speaker 4 (06:14):
My mom loves pork
rinds With hot sauce.
Well, if they're going to gofor it.
Speaker 2 (06:18):
you might as well get
the skin and fry it up, but I
can't.
Speaker 4 (06:22):
I can't do the smell
and the crunch.
So when she's eating like whenI go back to Arkansas to visit
her she's always so excitedbecause there's kind of a little
mom and pop shop in my hometownthat makes them, and so they're
really good yeah.
And so it'll be.
You know, we'll have the kidsin bed and it'll just be kind of
my time with my mom and we'llbe sitting on the couch and she
(06:42):
busts out the pork rinds and Ijust stare at her like the smell
is annoying, the sound isannoying, and she's just happy
and her heart is just so fulland I'm grossed out Love you Mom
.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
So if this is, your
first time listening to our
Community, to Our Mission.
We do this weekly and it reallydidn't have anything to do with
what the importance of the dayis.
Speaker 5 (07:04):
This is the group
therapy session for that's right
, for the Secret Rescue.
Speaker 2 (07:07):
Mission leadership
here, because it's tough work
and so they're very serious.
The rest of the day, the restof the week, until we get to
Wednesdays.
It's relationship building, andthen we unpack this part, and
then they can laugh, and theydon't ever laugh any other time.
Speaker 3 (07:21):
I know so it's too
serious of work.
We are very serious people.
Speaker 4 (07:25):
We learn so much
about each other too in these
partnership buildings.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
Thank you for sitting
in on our therapy session Tune.
In next week We'll have anotherone.
So anyway, our community, ourmission is about our community
and what's the mission of ourcommunity coming together, and
part of that is about greatpartnerships that Topeka Rescue
Mission has with agencies andindividuals to combat the
(07:49):
challenges of our community,whether it's hunger or
homelessness or without a pairof shoes or, more importantly
than anything, probably, peoplethat need to know that they
matter and hope.
And here today we have a greatagency that we partnered with
for many, many, many years,who's gone through a lot of
(08:10):
changes here, recently formed in1969 here in our community, I
think out of the back of astation wagon, if I recall that,
handing out food, and that isour let's Help organization.
And we have Executive DirectorPat Yancey with us here today.
Pat, thank you for staying withus in spite of us here on our
community our mission.
Speaker 5 (08:28):
Thank you for being
here, Barry.
Thank you so much for theinvitation and just for the
record, I hope you all don'tthink any less of me, but I am
addicted to pork rinds.
My wife and I even make them athome for ourselves.
There is nothing better thandeep fat fried bacon.
Speaker 3 (08:45):
And that's what they
are Exactly A whole new level of
respect.
Speaker 2 (08:50):
A whole new level.
Pat, you live on a farm and youjust take it from scratch, or
do you go to the store?
Speaker 5 (08:55):
We order the rinds
from mail order and fry them at
home.
It's really great.
Speaker 3 (09:02):
Oh, my goodness.
Speaker 5 (09:02):
Wonderful.
Speaker 3 (09:03):
I didn't even know
you could do that.
Speaker 5 (09:04):
Now that I know
you're so loving of them.
I will invite you over fordinner tonight.
Speaker 3 (09:08):
Please do there you
go.
Speaker 5 (09:09):
That's fabulous.
Speaker 2 (09:12):
Gosh, we're going to
lose all of our PETA listeners
here today.
They didn't know.
They didn't know.
Speaker 4 (09:16):
I just need everybody
to know that the ED of TRM said
she doesn't like pork rinds.
So when those complaints comein, it was not LaManda, it was
Miriam.
Speaker 2 (09:26):
It was a balanced
approach.
Well, pat, it was really goodto learn this about you,
anything else we didn't knowabout you today.
Speaker 5 (09:33):
That's the dark side
of it.
That's the dark side.
Speaker 2 (09:36):
Well, Pat, let's Help
has been like we said 1969.
It's been a long time TopekaRescue Mission 1953.
So there was a lot going on inour community back in the day,
and there still has been formany, many years now.
And so you've come along intothe executive director role in
regards to let's Help.
(09:56):
There have been a lot ofchanges before you stepped into
that role and currently, rightnow, we want to talk about that.
Talk about your other hat thatyou wear with a church here in
town.
And then, how did you get tothis place where you stepped
into that role?
Speaker 5 (10:13):
Yeah, well, I am also
the associate pastor at First
Presbyterian Church right downthere at 8th and Harrison Street
.
We are the church with theworld-famous authentic Tiffany
stained glass windows, by theway.
Everybody ought to come by andlook at them and I've been there
for about eight years, andactually being a pastor is a
(10:36):
second vocation for me.
I worked in child welfareservices and in the mental
health arena for most of mycareer and just felt the calling
to ministry.
And doing that now inconjunction with that.
You know, First PresbyterianChurch being a downtown church,
we have a lot of visitors whocome from the streets, and so
(10:59):
our church, wanting to be thehands and feet of Christ, said
let's do something about that.
So we've initiated a number offood programs to help feed
hungry people.
We also provide clothingthrough Doorstep and through
let's Help and in other ways.
And in conjunction with all ofthat, I joined the board of
(11:21):
let's Help about not quite twoyears ago and last year year
when there was a transition ofthe executive director, with so
much that was going on, with apending move and with lots of
questions about that buildingthe new location and how that
move would proceed, I just felta calling.
(11:44):
You know why don't I come inand help us get through that
time?
And so the board agreed withthat and I started in July of
last year and it's been awonderful experience, both from
a learning experience for me,but it's just been very
gratifying to help working withthe partners in our community to
kind of help meet the needs ofindividuals in need within this
(12:08):
community.
Speaker 2 (12:09):
So for decades let's
Help has been in the core
downtown area yes, it was rightaround St Joseph's Church for
many years, moved across thestreet into new facilities.
I don't remember when We'd haveto go back and look at the
records on that.
I'm sure you don't have thatjust on the top of your mind
when we'd have to go back andlook at the records on that.
(12:29):
I'm sure you don't have thatjust on the top of your mind.
But third, in Kansas, feedingmany, many people through a
prepared meal there At one timeI know it was five days a week,
sometimes six days a week forlunch and a lot of volunteers,
food baskets, clothing.
Education's been a big piece oflet's Help for helping people
with GEDs and life skills andthose kind of things.
So talk about the move where itis, why and kind of where you
(12:54):
came into the intersection ofthat.
I think some people know thatlet's Help move, but maybe not
where and the why.
Speaker 5 (13:00):
Right, right.
So the move was needed becauseof the new viaduct project
that's going on through Topekathe I-70 viaduct and one of the
pillars that's going to holdthat viaduct up is we'll be
sitting right where the let'sHelp building currently sits, so
there was a need to.
They didn't want to cut a holein the building and put it down
(13:21):
and keep it where we are?
Speaker 2 (13:22):
huh, no, I think they
didn't.
Speaker 5 (13:48):
No, I think they
didn't.
So obviously that necessitatedlet's Help Moving and working
with both the state and cityfolks.
Let's Help found a new locationover at 6th and near 6th and
McVicar, just north of theWalmart.
And you know, when I firstheard that because I came on the
board at a time when a lot ofthose decisions had already been
made I was a little worriedthat gosh, are we going to lose
the individuals that wecurrently serve?
And since the move it'sinteresting a lot of the folks
we served in the downtownlocation now find us and a lot
(14:09):
more people now find us in ournew location.
Our service numbers are upsignificantly, between 20 and 30
percent since the move.
When we first got out there, ofcourse, the service levels were
pretty low.
People just weren't finding us.
But as time has gone by, ournumbers have grown and grown and
(14:30):
grown and we don't see thatslowing down just now either.
When we were downtown, forexample, our daily meal that we
would serve the community meal,we'd serve close to 200 people,
and when we first moved out toour new location we were running
about 60.
And now we're up to about 150.
(14:51):
And that's when the weather'sreally cold, so as soon as it
warms up and as soon as schoolkids get out of school for the
summer, we anticipate thosenumbers actually exceeding where
we were last summer at the oldlocation.
So a lot of the folks that weserved are finding us and a lot
of folks that we were notserving are also finding us.
Speaker 2 (15:12):
So the new people
coming in maybe are in the
neighborhood that have needsthere as well.
That's right.
That's the former Topeka StateHospital grounds.
It is, and one of the buildingsyou're in is a former unit for
a state hospital.
Speaker 5 (15:23):
Yeah, yeah, you know
it's interesting.
We have a number of differentgroups that come in and
volunteer and one of them is agroup of individuals with
intellectual disabilities andone of those individuals comes
and finds me every time theycome because he tells me I used
to live in this building and Ithink, how cool is that?
A bit of a homecoming for him,you know he really feels a sense
(15:46):
of joy when he comes there.
So out of necessity, to move.
Speaker 2 (15:50):
The board looked for
a location and picked this one,
and it's always a challenge whenyou take a social service into
a new area.
Is it going to work there likeit worked before?
Is it going to be better, notas good?
Also, neighborhoodrelationships you are in the
same proximity.
There's Sh kind of healthdepartment down the street and
around the corners of a Leo andaround the other corners for Leo
(16:11):
, so it's not like it's a brandnew service to help the
community.
There's a bit of a somewhat ofa campus feel there that that is
going on.
It's on a bus line, so people,once they find out what your
services are, where they can getthere, they can get to you and
that sounds like what'shappening.
So what are you doing now?
In regards to services?
(16:31):
You've got a beautiful facility.
I'm just really blessed to gothrough there a couple of times
sit down, visit with you, getthe tour.
It's well done it's, you know,it's everything's modern now.
Speaker 5 (16:42):
Taking an older
building and making it really
look beautiful.
Speaker 2 (16:45):
What are the services
today and what are you hoping
in, say, next year, you'll beable to do?
Speaker 5 (16:50):
Yeah, yeah, thanks
for that question.
That's a good question.
So right now and I'll kind ofjust start on the west end of
our building and I'll walkthrough it with you if you will.
So one of the things that let'sHelp has always been known for
that you've already mentionedBarry is food.
We have always been known forthat you've already mentioned
(17:12):
Barry is food.
We have always been aboutaddressing food scarcity within
the community and providing foodto individuals.
So we still do that.
We have our community hot meal,which is currently served on
Monday, wednesday and Fridaysand it used to be every day.
You're right, it used to be sixdays a week.
That got cut back during COVIDand it's just never gone back
post-COVID.
So that's actually one of thethings we're working on for 2025
.
(17:33):
We want to expand our reach withfood and nutrition to make sure
folks are fed.
In addition to that, we alsohave a clothing bank actually
three parts to it One is foradults, one is for children and
infants and then another one forhousewares.
So individuals that needhousehold items or clothing
(17:57):
items can come to let's Help andwe have a lot to offer to them.
Offer to them.
We also do offer a food pantryfor individuals to take packaged
foods home and cook meals fortheir families or for themselves
when they get home.
That's another area that wewould like to expand in 2025.
(18:19):
You know we want to.
We have this vision of cookingfood and packaging it in
take-home heat and eatcontainers.
That individuals more nutrition.
You know packaged foodssometimes are high sodium,
they're high fat content.
They're not always the the mostnutritious food that you can
get.
We'd love to be able to cookfresh foods, fresh vegetables,
(18:41):
fresh meats, package them forfolks to take, warm up and share
with their family to have anice family meal that's also
very nutritious.
So food is a big focus for let'sHelp in 2025.
A lot of what we're doingrevolves around that.
We do also still offer our GEDprogram.
So individuals, everybody thatwalks through the door to ask
(19:06):
for services we ask them do youhave your high school diploma?
And if the answer to that's no,then we go would you like to
get it?
Because we can help them withthat.
And so we have a constant Iwon't say a flood of people
coming in, but a constanttrickle of individuals coming in
to study and we offer a tutorto teach them what they need to
(19:27):
know.
A lot of it can be done throughonline learning and then they
can actually.
We have testing facilitiesavailable where they can
actually take their GE test and,if they pass, get their high
school equivalency.
Speaker 2 (19:42):
Pat, what is
requirements, for example, for
the three days a week hot mealprogram or the food that they
can take home with them clothing, whatever.
Speaker 5 (19:53):
Yeah, for the
community meal it's just come
one, come all.
We don't have any criteria atall other than if you're hungry
and you'd like a meal, come andget that.
And for the other programs wehave individuals complete an
intake form I hate that term butwe find out a little bit of
information about them and theonly real criteria is if they
(20:19):
are either living below theestablished poverty levels or
they could actually be.
Maybe they have a job but theyjust don't earn enough to cover
their most basic needs for foodand for shelter and clothing and
the things they need.
Just to get by the basics.
We'll help them.
We're all about helpingindividuals who just need a
(20:43):
little help up.
We're not about buildingdependency with people.
We're more about helping themwhile they try to lift
themselves up out of theircircumstances.
Speaker 2 (20:51):
So it's not an
everyday get a food pantry,
correct.
How often can a person comeback to get a food?
Speaker 5 (20:58):
box or whatever.
They can come back to get afood box once a month.
And likewise with all of ourother services, the clothing
bank and things like that.
Speaker 2 (21:06):
Likewise with all of
our other services, the clothing
bank and things like that.
So we've noticed obviouslythere was an increased need for
food distribution.
First Press stepped into thatduring the pandemic in a big way
with Operation Food Secure andreally did stellar work on that.
We get a chance at the RescueMission to work with you guys on
that and others and so theseparticular areas with the
(21:28):
economy, food prices and soforth, let's help being a big
player in that.
What do you see?
The gaps are in our communityright now.
Rescue mission two days a weekhave people coming to get food
boxes of unprecedented numbersthat have come through.
You guys have relocated,starting to see those numbers
pick up, do you see?
Speaker 5 (21:53):
a need for more.
I do.
You know, and it's interesting,you mentioned the Operation
Food Secure.
That barrier was thespringboard for First
Presbyterian Church initiating amuch broader food program.
So we offer on the secondWednesday of every month, the
church literally purchases foodand we'll hand it out to hungry
people in our parking lot.
(22:13):
And then we have a partnershipwith harvesters on the fourth
Friday of every month whereharvesters will pull their big
semi truck up and they justunload their warehouse in our
parking lot and we hand that outas well.
But none of all of that wasbecause of Operation Food Secure
and our folks said you know,even when that program was
finished we said we don't needto stop, let's just keep going.
(22:35):
So we did.
You know.
I think there is more need forprograms to address nutrition
scarcity in this community.
There's a lot going on.
Part of the challenge, I think,is that we need a much bigger
coordinated effort and becauseso many people they don't know
(22:55):
where they can go to get those.
You know, if you happen to knowyou can go to First
Presbyterian on the secondWednesday of every month, great,
but so many people don't knowthat, and so there's kind of a
need for a much for an umbrella,if you will, of organizations
that are all working together inTopeka.
Let's Help has asked ourselvesat the board level how can we
(23:20):
help address that?
You know we all know that partof the Viaduct project also
moved harvesters out of Topeka,so that has created some changes
just from delivery schedulesand other things.
Harvester is a greatorganization, so we're just
asking ourselves can we partnerwith them in different ways that
might help the community evenmore?
(23:42):
We have a huge warehousefacility.
We have lots of storagefacility that we could maybe
play a partnership with them inhelping address the needs of
Topeka.
Speaker 2 (23:52):
I think you're spot
on.
Maryam and I had a littleexperience a number of years ago
, when she was director of theUnited Way, of working together
to try to address the largerissues of hunger in the
community and who's doing what,and we learned a lot, didn't we,
maryam?
We learned a lot.
Speaker 3 (24:05):
We learned that food
is not as easy as it might sound
.
Speaker 2 (24:08):
That's right and
organizing those systems, but it
still is a need.
Speaker 3 (24:11):
It's so important.
Speaker 2 (24:12):
So, yeah, I think out
of the crisis we learned a lot
of things during the pandemic onhow to come together.
But how do you sustain thoseefforts and it sounds like at
the church as well as let's HelpNow again picking up the ball
and running with it?
Trm has expanded dramaticallyin that arena with the
distribution of food.
So a year from now, two yearsfrom now, you guys are
(24:34):
reestablishing, notreestablishing.
You're in a new buildingestablishing.
People are finding you want tocontinue to do what you do now.
Do more of it, innovativethings that aren't being done.
Obviously, you're probably, youknow, still trying to figure
out where the fire extinguishersare and all that kind of stuff.
Speaker 1 (24:56):
Yeah, a little bit of
that.
Speaker 5 (24:56):
Hopefully not that
part, but yeah.
Speaker 2 (24:58):
But I know how it is
in new facilities.
So what's the goals?
Speaker 5 (25:02):
Yeah, well, you know,
having been in the building for
the time that we have, I havekind of estimated that we are
actually using maybe, maybe 40percent of its capacity and what
that tells me is we still have60 percent capacity for new
initiatives, new ways of takingcare of the community.
(25:22):
So we are we are just a spongeright now kind of pulling in
different ideas on how we coulddo that.
So, for example, you know wehave a clothing bank and we have
washers and we have dryers, sothat when clothes come in, if
they need to be washed, we washthem and then if they need to be
dried, we dry them.
Could that possibly become aprogram where individuals can
(25:46):
come and get their laundryservices done?
They can come in and wash theirclothes and dry their clothes
and take them with them.
You know, because for some folks, particularly folks who are
unsheltered, where do they dotheir laundry, right?
So there's lots of those kindsof ideas.
Certainly, a lot of ideas arearound food.
(26:07):
You know I have this, I havethis dream that you know I could
work partner with maybe one ofthe local education programs
that teach culinary skills toindividuals.
Hey, come into my kitchen andhelp us cook those meals that
we're packaging for people to totake home and feed to their
families right, and not only arethey learning skills, but
(26:31):
they're also learning theimportance of community service.
Speaker 2 (26:35):
I've been in that
kitchen over there.
It is probably the best kitchenin Topeka, Kansas right now.
Speaker 5 (26:39):
And it is not being
used at the capacity it could be
.
Speaker 2 (26:43):
So it sounds like
what you're talking about is
we've got extra space here, wewant to partner in community
with different entities, maybeaddress some gaps, and then
we've got 40 to 60% more somespace over here to be able to do
some things together.
Amanda, you obviously networkwith lots of different entities
in the community and you've beenhere and seen the transition of
(27:05):
let's Help and so forth.
And now what are your board?
Speaker 4 (27:09):
And when we met in my
office, I said, I just want you
(27:31):
to know I'm trying tounderstand all of the good stuff
that you guys already do, butI'm also interested in what you
feel like needs to be movingforward with let's Help, and TRM
wants to support that.
I see all of us as allies like,and the enemy is food,
insecurity, and it's peoplewithout things Right, and so
(27:53):
we're all in this together, andso, you know, I think, when I
look at what let's Help does,I'm just so appreciative, and
the rescue mission sees thevalue of let's Help, and we see
what they've done, we know theheart of why it originated, and
I've said that before, even justwith the rescue mission, it is
so important that currentleadership always understands
(28:14):
what came before us, and that'swhat has propelled us to then be
in this moment.
That doesn't mean, though, thatwe stay there.
Then it's our responsibility tofind out what the Lord is
asking for us to do for the nextgenerations of this ministry,
um, whichever one you're talkingabout, and so, um, you know,
I'm so appreciative of what theydo, but I also just want to be,
(28:36):
I want TRM to be a part ofwhatever is next for let's Help,
and then that trickles downinto a mine and pass
relationship.
I love that he and I can talkabout.
Well, this is what we do.
This is what probably needs tochange.
This is what.
We are not sure what's comingnext, and we've had those
(28:56):
conversations and I think we'rejust excited to have more of
that in the next 30, 45 days.
We're both exchanging teams, sowe're going to go over to let's
Help and we're going to tourand help them, brainstorm and
listen to their hearts and seeif there's anything we can do to
help.
They're coming over here to usto do the same thing to look in
our buildings we can do to help.
(29:17):
They're coming over here to usto do the same thing to look in
our buildings.
And I kind of see it as whenthe community donates things to
us, they're entrusting us tothen give it back to the
community right and take care ofthe needs.
And so I don't think, pat, nor Ipersonally as leaders, but also
our organizations we just don'thave the heart of, well, stay
(29:37):
in your lane or do your thing.
That's just not our hearts.
We want to work togetherbecause we see, collectively,
this community want to becompassionate and generous, and
so then it's like okay, let'stalk about what we're doing well
independently and what needs toremain that way, because other
things might be out of eachother's scope and sequence.
But I think we're doing wellindependently and what needs to
remain that way, because otherthings might be out of each
(29:59):
other's scope and sequence.
But I think we're also talkingabout very logical next steps,
of how do we bridge theorganizations together to better
take care of community needswith what the community has
blessed us with.
Speaker 2 (30:12):
I think to speak more
into that even is that
Americans appreciate and arereally good at some healthy
competition and sometimesunhealthy competition, and that
branches out into about everyfacet churches, nonprofits,
business, sports teams, you nameit.
And so to strive in the area ofhealthy not healthy competition,
(30:37):
but healthy networking, notcompetition is different than
what we naturally think about,and so just to hear you speak to
this LaManda and Pat you aswell is something that is
exemplary.
It's needed, it's been done,but it has to be maintained to
go forward.
(30:57):
There are some communities thatdon't get along well with
agency to agency.
There would be some communitiesand some situations, maybe here
in Topeka, that if anorganization like Topeka Rescue
Mission has a podcast, they'renot going to talk about any
other organization and whattheir needs are and how they can
work together for fear oflosing for fear of losing.
(31:18):
But that's not the case here.
It's not a fear of losing.
The enemy, as you said, is foodinsecurity, it's homelessness,
it's brokenness, it's home, allthose things.
It's not another agency.
And when we find an agency whomaybe is protective and tries to
downplay others, we just haveto say sorry, we can't work
(31:38):
together with you.
But that's not the case in mostof our situations here, and
obviously TRM and let's Helpworking together is very
exemplary.
Speaker 5 (31:44):
Yeah, I couldn't
agree more.
I think it really requires that, and I'm one of those.
I've worked in nonprofitsegment for a lot of years and
over those years you've seensome services and programs come,
some services and programs go,and the organizations just need
to be nimble and kind of move indirections that play to their
(32:04):
strength.
And in that vein, you know, ifI see something that let's Help
is doing that maybe is betterserved elsewhere and we're both
trying to do it, maybe it makesmore sense that I just kind of
let that organization do thatwork and then ask what else can
we do to help?
Because I mean, in the endwe're all viewing this as a
(32:29):
community system of support andwe're working together.
And where can we best serve isthe question we really ought to
be asking.
Speaker 2 (32:38):
So any of you can try
to answer this one.
So you've got Donor A here andthey want to help.
Let's Help's doing this overhere, united Way's doing this
over here, doorstep's doing thisover here, speaker S
Commission's doing this overhere, and they come to you.
Where should I give?
Speaker 3 (32:53):
What do you say?
I can tell you what, and I'llput kind of go back to United
Way days.
Where are they most passionate?
Right, because there's not anyof the organizations that you
mentioned that wouldn't be ableto effectively use someone's
resources.
So where is their passion?
And where does their passion gobeyond just the money they can
(33:14):
give?
What is their heart tellingthem to do?
Because anytime they're helpingour network of nonprofits, they
are helping us too, because ifsomeone else can serve these
folks, that frees us uppotentially to serve these folks
that nobody was serving, right?
So to me, people just need tofollow their hearts when they're
(33:37):
giving and where they want toengage beyond just their, their
pocketbook.
Right, because I think that weget the most from our donors
when they are fully engaged withus.
Not that, not that we don'twant.
If people want to just give usone hundred dollars a year, of
course we're going to utilizethat.
If people want to just give usa hundred dollars a year, of
(33:59):
course we're going to utilizethat.
But when they can give us ahundred dollars a year and maybe
they give us some of their timeand they talk about what, I'll
just talk about TRM, what TRM isdoing in the community.
That's a huge advantage, right,and that's what we need from
folks.
So, whether they give to TRM,whether they give to doorstep,
let's wherever it's going to behelping the people that need to
(34:19):
be helped.
Speaker 2 (34:20):
At this level of
community involvement,
engagement, support withnonprofits, helping some of our
most vulnerable to have theorganizations and its leadership
working together, is a goldmine.
It really is.
It exemplifies things thatought to be done in other areas.
Obviously, we know, politicallywe're very divided in this
culture today, very divided evenat the local level, and people
(34:41):
are used to people not gettingalong Well.
If you're hungry and you'restanding in a food line
somewhere, you don't care whatpeople's politics are, their
religion is or whatever the casemight be.
You're wanting to make surethey're all getting along, that
they're cooking the meal.
Well, you know, and I'm goingto get what I need today, and
that is an important element ofhealing of people in our
community, which then heals thewhole community.
Speaker 3 (35:03):
Well, barry, if we
just go back to Operation Food
Secure, which was we jumped innot knowing what in the world we
were doing, absolutely and wecould not, trm could not have
done that alone.
It was really because thiscollaboration of organizations,
whether it was churches, whetherit was nonprofits, whether it
was just general publicvolunteers that worked because
(35:26):
everybody was willing to cometogether around one cause and it
didn't matter who got credit.
What got credit was OperationFood Secure, which nobody
necessarily knew it was anoperation.
It was an operation right, andthat's why that was so
successful and why people willremember.
You know, we worked togetherreally well then, and when I
hear them at First Press carriedit on, that's like, oh my
(35:48):
goodness.
So the seed was planted duringa time of significant crisis and
yet look what happened.
It carried on, not because weweren't willing to work together
, because TRM, frankly, couldhave never distributed 6,000
boxes of food a week, which iswhat that got up to.
Yeah, when I think about that,barry, I still wonder how we
survived.
Speaker 5 (36:09):
And you know.
The other advantage of workingtogether is we all gain a better
vision of where are the gaps inservices in the community and
where can who you know?
LaManda can call me and she cansay hey, you know what, you're
midtown and we don't haveanybody that can offer showers
in midtown.
Can you possibly do that?
(36:30):
Well, that'd be something wecould talk about, right.
What are those services thatpeople need in the community?
And I don't have all theanswers, but it's kind of always
been known that the wisdom ofthe collective always exceeds
the wisdom of one.
That's kind of what I look atit.
Speaker 4 (36:47):
Yeah, and I would say
the same thing.
A couple of things came to mindwhen you asked about that.
If somebody calls and they'reinquiring specifically money
right, where to donate and Iwould agree with what Pat said
and what Miriam said and I thinkthe only thing I would add in
it is so that people understandkind of my thinking right, there
(37:10):
is a faith piece to this whereand I know this might not be
popular or people might questionmy integrity with it or
whatever, but this is truly howI check it.
I think to myself one day we'regoing to face eternity, right,
and I just cannot imagine thatthe Lord would say Lamanda,
(37:32):
thank you so much for persuading, enlisting the name of donors
that they put their money at TRMand didn't help anyone else.
I just don't think that's goingto be it.
You're probably right, and so.
I know it sounds mushy, butthere is such a big portion of
me that I know for a fact Godhas multiple messengers on this
(37:56):
earth, both in a secularcapacity, both in a nonprofit
capacity, a ministry capacity, abusiness capacity, and that the
financial stewardship of therescue mission is his.
He's the captain of it.
That doesn't mean I can just belethargic with it and not be
(38:18):
wise with decisions or not tryto do things.
Have our actions match ourfaith right.
We can have faith and action,and so all of those things are
important.
But I feel very strongly thatone of the reasons because
there's a lot of reasons I amnot qualified for this job, but
one that I think God needs me tobe in this position is I better
(38:39):
continue to have the heart ofhis and the heart of his, is
that we are all called to lovehim and to love people, and so
there is no way I could walk inintegrity, be proud of or even
accept thinking that I'm doingsomething that helps build up
(39:03):
TRM.
Why tearing down?
Let's help, or tearing down?
There is no way.
I can't.
I cannot do that personally,nor as a leader, nor would my
leadership team, the board ofdirectors, no one, no one would
feel good about that, and so Ievaluate that with one, thinking
about my judgment day.
But then, two, there's thisother piece that and I've said
(39:25):
this about United Way and apanel that I did, but I'm really
starting to see it really isfor a lot of our nonprofits.
I think to myself if somethinghappened to that nonprofit and
they weren't there anymore.
There's a dent in our community.
And so when I think about whatPat is facing with let's Help
and whether it's decisions, whattype of expansion, what the
(39:48):
next steps are, I personally andTRM we want to support that
because if let's Help is not intheir location, where they are
and or doing whatever they'recalled to do, that's a dent in
our community.
So just because I'm notresponsible directly for let's
Help does not mean I'm notcalled to care and support let's
(40:12):
Help.
And so the rescue mission seesthe work that they're doing and
we want to help that continue.
And so we trust that if someoneneeds to financially give in
another capacity, god is stillgoing to provide for TRM.
Or it might be that they'regoing to give us the clothing
and give them the volunteerismor whatever the case may be.
(40:34):
So much of that is it's not myresponsibility.
Or whatever the case may be, somuch of that is it's not my
responsibility.
My responsibility is to dothings right, to do things with
integrity and to see the biggerpicture.
Why trusting God with thedetails and I know that sounds
silly?
Because as EDs we areresponsible for the financial
(40:54):
stewardship.
We have to look at the bills,we're looking at the overhead.
We're looking at the overhead,we're looking at the budget, and
so it's not that we can bedismissive of that.
But there is no way that mybudget is going to be healthier
if I am vindictive or ugly toother nonprofits or anybody
that's helped.
There's no way and we will notact like that.
(41:15):
We will not view that as that.
We will not hoard, we're notgoing to do that.
That's just not what we'recalled to do.
Speaker 2 (41:23):
And be willing to
take that risk, to be able to
say, okay, if it doesn't come myway, it comes another way, then
the greater good is going to bedone.
There's one other thing I'mhearing too just want to draw it
out.
You're not just talking aboutnot downplaying another
nonprofit or dogging them ortrying to get your donations
away from them.
You're also talking aboutcelebrating them.
Celebrating the uniqueness of alet's Health, the uniqueness of
(41:47):
Topeka Rescue Mission comingtogether in a podcast like this
and many other ways to do ittogether best.
And so that's why it'sextremely important for both of
you, as executive directors, tobe able to be on the same page,
working together, even thoughyou have your separate
responsibilities, which, even inOperation Food Secure while it
was a name that wasn't an agencyname there was backbone
(42:08):
organizations that were a partof that that were propping that
up to do the work.
But it would never have beendone if they wouldn't have done
it together and came around thiswhole idea of we're going to
help our neighbors together.
Yeah.
So, um, yeah, this is good,healthy conversation.
I just think it's good to drawthis out for listeners so that
you hear, because it's just notnormal.
It's not natural, I should say,in regards to who we are as
(42:31):
competitive humans and how wewould tend to try to protect our
thing at the expense of others.
Speaker 5 (42:38):
If we're working
together, we have an opportunity
to be the collective voice forthe community, for people who
don't have a voice, and toreally emphasize the need, the
level of the need, and tocultivate that really, that
community culture of charity.
(42:58):
Right, and if we can do thatI'm kind of like you, lamanda I
think God will provide if we'redoing what we're supposed to be
doing together.
Speaker 2 (43:08):
We can test him out
and see if he's telling the
truth.
Speaker 5 (43:10):
We've learned he is.
Speaker 4 (43:13):
Well, that is one
reason why I'm thankful for Pat
is not just as the ED, but justhim as a person.
He's trustworthy.
So I want to be able to and Iknow it's not probably the
popular opinion I want to beable to tell Pat the good, the
bad and the ugly about therescue mission, because once Pat
knows that I know for a factwhen he's in other meetings and
(43:33):
he's networking or in his prayertime, whatever the case is,
he's looking at that, I knowGod's going to use him to be
like man.
I know Lamanda was saying theywere struggling with that.
This could be her answer.
And I want Pat to know, asanother executive director, I'm
doing the same thing for him.
When he tells me, hey, we'relooking at, do we do more of
this?
Do we do less of this?
I need to be listening.
(43:54):
So when I'm in other meetingsor we have other opportunities,
then I can send those answershis way or validate hey, you
were sharing that concern.
Well, me and so-and-so andso-and-so just met and we have
the same ones.
I don't have the answer, but atleast we all have the same
answer and there's.
That's in my opinion.
That's just how it should be.
I shouldn't have to go Well, wecan't let Pat know this part
(44:16):
because it's let's help.
It shouldn't be that way.
And when you have the rightcharacters and leadership
positions, you will have more.
The trust is just there.
And then you just have thisvulnerability and you see
momentum pick up in thatMomentum doesn't pick up when
there's deceit.
Speaker 2 (44:36):
And it doesn't do any
good, as we've talked about,
for it to be separated.
It's powerful when it'stogether, and that's what you're
doing here, pat.
I think it's good to recognizethat during the warming center's
needs, when the temperature'sout, you stepped up to the plate
, being new in your position,new building, everything, not
having done this before.
You stepped into that and thatreally showed a lot about you
(44:59):
and about your board, your staff, small staff at this point, to
open up that facility, to beable to do what you could, why
you could, to help people to notdie.
Speaker 5 (45:09):
Yeah, that was.
You know, I remember the firstmeeting that I went to where
LaManda was invitingorganizations to do that.
And you know, as I waslistening to her and I was
thinking about this wonderfulfacility that let's Help has and
this big, spacious area that inparticular, would serve well as
a warming center, I just feltpersonally a call that you know
(45:33):
I can do something to help withthis and realizing the resources
at let's Help, that that too,that we could, we could really
make a difference and you knowthat was a.
That was a very interestingexperience.
As you know, let's Help isthree and a half employees and
about 70 volunteers, and what welearned on that because when
(45:54):
the snowstorm hit volunteerscouldn't get to us that was a
problem.
Speaker 4 (45:58):
The ice was awful.
Speaker 5 (45:59):
You cannot run that
facility with three and a half
employees.
It broke my heart, but theboard had to make the decision
to go ahead and close thewarming center when it did.
But you know what?
I'm still willing to get to thetable and ask what can change
about the next time that wecould do it again.
I'm not giving up on that one.
Speaker 2 (46:21):
And then we just want
to recognize and say thank you
for stepping up doing what youcould while you could.
Have you caught up on yoursleep yet?
No, but I'm still working onthat.
Speaker 5 (46:29):
What is that anyway?
Speaker 2 (46:30):
by the way, Right
exactly.
Speaker 5 (46:40):
I like to say you
know, I'm a part-time pastor and
I serve.
Speaker 4 (46:42):
Let's Help part-time,
but my wife reminds me I have
two full-time jobs that just payme part.
Well, and I just want to sayyou know, pat was really
conflicted with closing, like heknew that's what was best, and
I couldn't get him volunteerseither, because everybody was
iced in.
That was our whole goal was thefirst couple of days.
We were going to try to sendeverybody their way.
People couldn't get out oftheir driveways.
(47:05):
So we it wasn't like we had asurplus of volunteers either and
it was so kind becausevolunteers were letting us know
left and right.
It's not that we don't want tobe there.
I tried.
Now it's stuck in the ditch.
Whatever the case may be, andthat is you know.
Speaker 5 (47:16):
Really, that's a good
example of how we were working
together.
Yes, lamanda did get volunteersover to us, which actually put
us through for a few days.
Anyways, you know, I was seeingpeople that had had signed up
to be over at let's, over at therescue mission that were coming
to let's go.
So thank you for that.
I never got a chance.
Yes, no, that's fine missionthat we're coming to let's go.
Speaker 4 (47:37):
So thank you for that
.
I never got a chance.
Yes, no, that's fine.
Well, and then you know, whenhe let me know, hey, we're going
to have to be closing, I saiddon't feel bad about that, I
support the decision that youand the board made.
You said yes for what you coulddo, um, and we see that come
together.
And then someone else was readyto say yes.
And then, in that, I wanted toknow from him, like, how are you
and your board going tocommunicate this, because I'm
(47:59):
going to get on either FacebookLive or do a press release or
something in support.
I don't.
I don't want there to be anyugliness about let's help
closing earlier, this, that andthe other.
I need people to hear from methat I'm saying we're so glad
for what they did.
That's exactly what we neededwhen we needed it.
Saying we're so glad for whatthey did, that's exactly what we
needed when we needed it.
(48:21):
And so I just loved we were onthe phone and I was like, okay,
let me know when yourcommunication's ready.
Then I'm going to say whatyou're saying, because I
appreciate what you did and I Idon't want anybody to do any
flack towards that.
I need them to know we supportthis closing too and we're
thankful.
Speaker 5 (48:35):
Well and we work
together.
I mean to know we support thisclosing too and we're thankful.
Well and we work together.
I mean Miriam and I were on thephone several times that day
because we had individuals thatwe needed to relocate and thank
you for coordinating with us tomake that happen.
Speaker 3 (48:48):
I think Pat looked at
his phone and went oh shoot
it's her, again it's her again.
Speaker 4 (48:55):
But so I say all that
because not everything working
together and everything isalways like easy, or you know,
roses and rainbows, it's justnot.
But what's also incredible iswhen characters of people or
organizations or whatever arethe same, even when we're like,
oh, this is going to get stickyor what does this look like
(49:16):
Anytime we start new initiatives, just all of those things that
opens up opportunity for thereto be conflict or whatever.
And there just wasn't.
It was like, oh, we're on thesame page.
Speaker 2 (49:26):
Might be easier not
to work together, but if it's
right, it's right and we don'tdo this because it's easy.
We do it because it's right andyou know I'm thinking of John F
Kennedy right now.
We don't go to the moon becauseit's easy.
We go to the moon because it'shard and the things that we're
going to learn in the process ofthat are going to bring us
better together.
Pat, we're excited that you'rein your role here.
(49:50):
Incredible decades-oldorganization in our community
doing many things With the newdirection, new place and all
that leadership and all that.
It's exciting to know thatyou're at the helm here.
Is there anything else you'dlike to share with us today?
Speaker 5 (50:04):
Just thank you again
for inviting me.
I do feel blessed to be atlet's Help at this time.
It's an interesting time forthat organization and lots of
positive direction that's comingour way, and I just look
forward to the many ways thatlet's Help can utilize its
resources, its facility and itshuman resources and financial
(50:26):
resources to partner with theRescue Mission and other
organizations to really helpbridge the poverty gap within
Topeka.
Speaker 2 (50:39):
Yeah, very good.
What's your website?
Letshelpincorg.
Letshelpincorg.
Okay, so we'll put that on theFacebook because, again, this is
collaboratively coming together, working on doing what we do
together as a community.
And so, again, pat, thank youfor taking the job, thank you
for being a great partner, thankyou for keeping let's Help
moving in the right direction.
We're excited about what'sgoing to happen going forward
(51:00):
and these partnerships with theTopeka Rescue Mission and others
.
Thank you for listening to ourcommunity, our mission.
You've heard from Pat Yanceytoday, who is the executive
director of let's Help, a greatorganization in the community,
but you've heard even more aboutthis networking together with
the Topeka Rescue Mission, let'sHelp and Others, and the value
of that and how we are bettertogether.
If you'd like more informationabout the Topeka Rescue Mission,
(51:21):
you can go to trmonlineorg.
That's trmonlineorg.
Thank you for being a part ofour community, our mission.
Thank you.