Philanthropy Today

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...

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 choos...

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 v...

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 auto...

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...