April 22, 2025 • 19 mins
Be Able Community Center provides life-changing support to Manhattan residents facing adversity, offering essential services and a compassionate community. The center is celebrating its fifth year of operation while preparing to launch a crucial supportive housing program to bridge a significant gap in local resources.
• Located at 431 South Fifth Street, Be Able functions as a daytime community resource center open 8 am-4 pm daily
• Services include coffee, computer access, laundry facilities, showers, and connections to community resources
• Structured programming for life improvement includes peer mentoring, finance education, and creative outlets
• Phil Hicks shares his journey from living in his car to finding support, healthcare assistance, and community
• Health challenges, including diabetes complications and osteomyelitis, require medical intervention
• Be Able connected Phil with resources, including Kansa Prairie for affordable medications and The Guardians for car repairs
• Manhattan's network of support organizations creates comprehensive care for vulnerable neighbors
• New supportive housing program launching within weeks addresses critical need in Manhattan
• Community support through fundraisers and Grow Green Match Day has made the housing initiative possible
Visit beablecommunity.org to learn more about their services or to support their mission of creating a community where everyone can be able.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Philanthropy Today is brought to you by the Greater
Manhattan Community Foundation.
In this episode we feature arecently broadcast segment of
the GMCF Community Hour as heardon NewsRadio KMAN.
And we are back the GMCFCommunity Hour here on NewsRadio
KMAN.
Our next segment is about anorganization that's fairly new
(00:22):
but my goodness, they have beenso effective and so engaged in
the community Be Able.
And we are going to bring inthe dude.
That kind of got Be Ablestarted.
And we also have another guestwho we're going to be visiting
with, but first Scott Voos.
Hi, hey, hey, dave, it's goodto have you here.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
Yes, it's really good to be here.
I really look forward to thisThanks for having us.
Speaker 1 (00:44):
Where were you 10 years ago?
Speaker 2 (00:46):
Oh, oh, 10 years ago I was working at Manhattan
Technical College.
Yeah, I was an allied healthadvisor.
Fun fact, I was also the firstever athletic director.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
Oh, when they had the golf program.
Speaker 2 (01:02):
Yeah, golf and women's cross country.
Speaker 1 (01:05):
Yeah, I just saw.
I had a visit with Rob Edelstonthe other day, who I have a
tremendous amount ofappreciation for yeah, I worked
under him for sure, and he wasin for another podcast with
Kathy Dawes Scogs that I workwith and just had a great visit
about some of the stuff thatthey're doing there.
Speaker 2 (01:31):
But, man, you've had some challenges and those
challenges begat Be Able.
Are you referencing personalstruggles?
Whatnot?
Yeah, I think the school oflife has definitely prepared me
for an understanding and anappreciation of working with
people going through adversity.
Speaker 1 (01:41):
Yeah, yeah.
So this is what about fouryears now, five years for BeAble
, yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
September of this year, we will complete our fifth
year in operation.
Okay, I think so.
Yeah, wow, yeah, it's, it'sadding up, isn't it?
That's crazy, definitely.
Speaker 1 (01:55):
And and and one of the things that you know you're
you're doing terrific work andthere's uh, there, there's so
many aspects to what you do atBeAble, but considering what
you've accomplished in fiveyears time and how many lives
you have changed is absolutely atremendous testament to your
vision, your direction, yourleadership and all the people
(02:17):
that are associated.
I know you got a lot of greatstaff down there and then you
get people like Phil that we'regoing to talk with here just a
little bit.
That that helps share themessage.
Speaker 2 (02:29):
Yeah, I think um not only working and finding
individuals going throughadversity and working with them,
but I think another componentof what we do is trying to
uncover the stories of of who isout there and giving reasons
why things are the way they are.
So that's a big part of what wedo, but I would be remiss to
(02:49):
mention that the Lord hasprovided us with an army of
supporters, and it was reallyimportant for me from day one to
surround myself with peoplethat are better than I am, and
and I think that that's thesecret sauce is is uh, we have a
strong staff volunteercomponent, and then also the
(03:11):
other uh church groups, civicgroups that we allow uh and
empower them to to be within thefamily to help out.
Speaker 1 (03:19):
Yeah, well, it's a.
It's a fantastic story, andthere are probably some
listeners here joining us todaythat may not really be aware of
what Be Able does.
So, before we jump into talkingwith one of your neighbors,
give us the 30-second elevatorspeech about Be Able.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
Yeah, so I like to consider us as a daytime
community resource center, andwhat we do is we open up our
doors each day from eight tofour o'clock each day, and
anybody that walks through thedoors can access our facility
for anything from coffee tocomputer access, laundry and
(03:58):
shower facility down there, andthen also knowledge of what
resources are in our community.
We also we also have a wholehost of other um programming
meant for life improvements, andthen what I hope to talk about
a little bit later is is oursupportive housing program that
we're about to open up in a fewweeks.
So, um, 431 South fifth street,right behind the Manhattan
(04:22):
emergency shelter, down the roadfrom the breadbasket, we are
very well placed on Yuma Street,all right.
Speaker 1 (04:28):
Well, I tell you what .
Let's shift gears here.
Let's talk to Phil Phil Hicks.
Welcome to the GMCF CommunityHour.
Nice to meet you, dave.
Absolutely, you're a big dude.
Thank you, I appreciate that.
And you're in a boot, and Imean like a boot, like you.
Just you just like got allkinds of gauze and tape and
things on your foot.
Speaker 3 (04:47):
What's that all about ?
Well, uh, kind of ties into mystory about me being out here.
I moved out here last Octoberin my car, uh, to get, try to
find better health, get my feetback on solid ground, get my
seven-year-old back out here Um,just kind of changed my life
around.
You know, I made a decision toturn my life over to the Lord
and kind of asked him to pointme in the right direction.
(05:08):
And Manhattan is where hebrought me out.
To why Manhattan?
Um, honestly, I really don'teven know.
I came out in my car, startedheading East one day from where
I was at and, uh, I was prayingone night and came here, started
door dashing in my car a littlebit and I was like, you know,
it's not really that bad.
Uh, decided to stick around alittle bit.
(05:28):
And short term, in the shortterm of me being here in October
, that was when I've I had heardof be able and found out about
the be able community and I hadcalled Scott and kind of let him
know, you know what I was goingthrough.
And he's like well, come downand talk to me.
And I came down and talked tohim and since then things have
just kind of been rolling likewildfire.
Things have been turning aroundand a lot of good things have
(05:49):
been happening since I movedhere.
Speaker 1 (05:50):
We've had a number of fellow neighbors come in and
talk and one of the things thatI'd like to do is get you know a
little bit of the backgroundstory filled and Scott had
mentioned adversities.
Yeah, can you share a littlebit about some of the challenges
that you had?
Speaker 3 (06:07):
So years ago out in the small communities that I was
at probably 2020, I would say2020 or 2021, I had a problem
with my left foot, where it hada sore on it, and that ended up
leading to me having two stentsin my heart.
So the battle with my healthhas been an ongoing battle for
years.
I've lost my mother at 2000.
May 14, 2011, when I was 21years old, from renal failure,
(06:33):
and her passing was probablybecause she didn't take care of
herself that well, and there'sbeen times in my life Another
thing I came out here for was myanxiety and my depression.
It was through the roof and Iwas done with everything.
I didn't want to be aroundanymore.
I kind of had a lot ofdifferent bad thoughts and, uh,
the Lord helped pull me out ofthose, and so my mental health
(06:55):
has also been something I'dstruggled with over the years
and, uh, being able to come outhere and find a place with, you
know, so much compassion andcare and and where people you
know there's many more peoplethan me that are struggling, and
a lot of them in a lot worseway than I am.
You know, I was in my car andmy foot really couldn't heal,
(07:16):
because I'm six foot eight, youknow, and you have to sleep in
six eight.
Yeah, you have to sleep inuncomfortable positions and
stuff, but, above and beyond allyou know, the Lord is always
good, no matter what he's goingto, he's not going to put you
through something that you'renot meant to overcome or to get
stronger from.
I guess is what I would say.
That's what I've learned overmy years.
Speaker 1 (07:39):
And you talked about you know your faith.
Yeah, was that something thatwas?
Speaker 3 (07:42):
a part of your life.
It's been a part of my life,throughout my life, but it's
never been something that I wasreally super consistent and
super focused on.
So I would kind of let that goon the back burner and I'd put
it behind me, and then thingswould fall apart, you know, and
then when I'd pick my faith backup or I'd start digging back
into it, things would startpiecing themselves back together
(08:03):
.
Speaker 1 (08:04):
Yeah, Well, and and, and.
We all have these stories.
You know we all get to sharethese stories here on the on the
show, and that's one of thethings that I think our
listeners really appreciate.
And that's one of the thingsthat I like about what Jared and
Scott are doing with thisprogram is they're giving us an
opportunity to visit with someof the neighbors at Be Able so
that we can see, or at leasthear, firsthand the impact that
(08:27):
the work at Be Able is doing.
So you came and talked to Scottat Be Able is doing.
So you came and talked to Scott.
What has happened through?
Speaker 3 (08:38):
your time at Be Able to help you.
First off, getting there, Ithink when I first linked up
with these guys, I'm pretty suremy tag was out of date on my
car and stuff too.
So I'm sleeping on my car.
My tag's out of date, Didn'thave any insurance, needed a
bunch of insulin, all kinds ofdifferent meds and stuff.
So, like immediately uponmeeting them, I got hooked up
with a retain works.
(08:59):
Uh, retain works set me up withKansa Prairie and Kansa Prairie
ended up getting six to $700 inmy medications for like 10
bucks for me.
So that was one of the hugestblessings right off the bat.
Okay, um, I ended up doing somethings and figuring out how to
get my car worked out and stuff.
I can't remember if you guyshelped me tag it or not.
I think you might've.
Yeah, at the first time.
(09:20):
Second time I tagged my car.
I know I did the tagging butthey had kind of helped me with
insurance.
There's another program, alsocalled uh, what is it?
The guardians?
I had an alternator go out inmy car so the guardians had
helped me with that.
Uh, they have.
There's any meetings and stuffthat they do there that I would
that I go to.
I don't go to all of them nowcause I'm working at McDonald's
at night and it's during thetime that the meetings are going
(09:42):
.
But they have a lotto classwhich is like uh, it's a talk
where you know we talk abouteveryday life and just share,
people share.
It's like a peer-to-peermentoring group that you try to
focus on positive things andpositive happenings and creating
a positive mindset or positiveoutlook for your peers, some of
them that are unable to findthat light, that's in the dark,
(10:06):
and they also have a financeprogram there.
I haven't done a whole lot withthat, but they have a guy that
comes in, he'll talk to you onfinance.
One thing Scott didn't touch onis they have an art room and a
music room and that is verytherapeutic for people too.
That is kind of starting totake off a little bit.
More and more people are comingin there and doing paintings
(10:29):
and stuff.
And uh, I think even a coupleof the organizations out here
over the winter time had likefundraisers and stuff and some
of us neighbors that would doartwork, they were able to like
auction some of our artwork andstuff off too.
So that's, it's neat.
It helps the community as awhole.
And then another thing I like todo would be I'd worked a lot of
(10:50):
the K state games with VernVern, so we'd do cleanups and
stuff afterwards.
Well, a lot of these people outhere you know that are my
neighbors are homeless and theyhaven't been to games before and
they haven't got to experiencethings like that.
So a lot of people would giveaway free tickets to the games.
So we would carpool neighborsand peers up there and we'd go
clean and we'd come back.
You know, a lot of them wouldget dropped back off and be able
(11:10):
to go to the warming station orto the shelter where they were
staying.
Some people would stay underthe bridge.
You know we're being real abouteverything, but, uh, just having
that, I don't know.
I, I.
There's a group of of kindnessand compassion and generosity in
Manhattan that is unfoundanywhere Like I've.
I've been to different citiesand stuff and I'm this isn't the
(11:32):
only time in my life that I'vebeen homeless, so it has been
harder in other areas, butthere's a the lord's here and
you can feel it.
You can feel every bit ofkindness and generosity at all
these different places you goand be able definitely is a I.
I honestly think they shouldbuild like a lighthouse there or
something, because that placeso with the big beacon that goes
(11:53):
around.
Here we are it's definitely aplace where people can.
I've I've had several peoplesince I've been here that have
come in here that didn't evenwant to exist anymore and by the
end of the day, just meetingwith some of us or whatever,
their whole, whole aura wasflipped around and, uh, moments
like that and times like thatare things that I take to heart
the most, because I've been inthat position.
(12:14):
I've tried to eliminate myselfmore than once and the Lord has
directly told me that.
I have a purpose.
You can't do that Like, I'm notgoing to let you, you know.
So, um, I it's, it's fun beingout here.
I'm, I'm liking it and I'mgoing to keep working.
I know I'm not in an apartmentor anything yet, but I'm close
to it.
I'm still in the cracks, youknow, but I'm slowly getting
(12:38):
myself out of it and the peoplethat I build myself around.
Like Scott said, when yousurround yourself around better,
you become better yourself.
So I just got to keep thatmindset and that outlook on
things and just realize that theLord is always going to be
better.
So if I surround myself aroundhim, he's going to help me find
everybody else.
That's better too.
Speaker 1 (12:55):
You know you had mentioned earlier on that.
Uh, you had a at that timeseven year old.
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (13:01):
Well, he's seven now.
He was four before.
Yes, he was four when I got mystents in my heart and, uh, his.
So him and his uh six-year-oldbrother at the time were with me
.
I was a single dad, uh, takingcare of both the boys and I
ended up getting in the hospitaland their mom had come by when
I was in the hospital.
She wanted to visit them for alittle bit, but she ended up
(13:22):
leaving with the kids.
So I video chat them for nowuntil, uh, things are better for
me, and then, once things arebetter, I'll have my son back
and I can't wait for it.
He's going to love it out hereand when you talk about um being
in the hospital.
Speaker 1 (13:36):
you know, yeah, so you've had surgery.
What's this all about?
Speaker 3 (13:40):
Two weeks ago.
My uh, so my toe has had anulcer in it this whole time.
I've been dealing with it sinceMarch of last year.
That's why I moved out here inOctober.
Um, just it, it heals up alittle bit and then it
backtracks.
I mean, I heal up and thenbacktrack and ended up I guess a
couple weeks ago.
Found out it was broken, foundout it had osteomyelitis in it.
(14:02):
I was borderline sepsis, so thatcould have been really bad.
I could have just, you know,died.
But uh, the lord, like I said,he has other plans.
There's always a reason foreverything.
They told me I wouldn't haveany balance after this thing got
taken off.
They didn't have to dischargeme with any pt.
I don't have no assisted device.
I started working the next day.
Um was shooting hoops.
(14:22):
The same day I got out of thehospital I made seven shots in a
row.
Speaker 1 (14:26):
I've never do you have any?
Speaker 3 (14:27):
eligibility left.
Eligibility for what?
For basketball?
I For basketball, I mean, Iwish.
Speaker 1 (14:31):
I'm 35, so probably not Well, I mean, age is not a,
I'm almost as old as LeBron.
Speaker 2 (14:35):
The players befriended Phil.
Oh, did they really?
Speaker 3 (14:38):
Yeah, I made a couple good friends from some of the
athletes just cleaning up afterthe games and stuff.
Speaker 2 (14:45):
They would bring him steak dinners down.
Speaker 3 (14:46):
I got a filet, mignon find them.
Yeah, down to the shelter.
It was fun, it's been amazingfor our listeners benefit you.
Speaker 1 (14:53):
You've got a k-state shirt on.
You got a k-state ball cap on.
I see that it's got someautographs on it as well.
Were you a k-state guy beforeyou came here?
Speaker 3 (15:00):
I've always been a k-state guy.
I uh, I remember back when, Ithink, bill snyder left the
first time that football seasonyeah, they played missouri up
here I believe it was, and bradBrad Smith was playing for them,
if I remember right, and webeat them.
I remember we beat them.
It wasn't that bad, it was justa little.
I think we beat them.
Maybe they beat us.
Speaker 1 (15:21):
Yeah, I'm pretty sure we did.
Yeah, I think we beat themBecause that was my first year
as the announcer.
Speaker 3 (15:26):
I've never been to that many games that we've lost
at, which is fun.
I've been to a few, but uh,yeah, just I remember being at
that football game and you knowsmacking everybody's hands at
the end of it and stuff.
I was a huge football guy.
So, 2006, I was only asophomore in high school.
I was six, eight, uh, three, 85, playing football myself.
Yeah, I was a.
I was a monster in high school.
Speaker 1 (15:46):
So so I take your diabetic?
Yeah, type two, uh huh, okay,and uh, you, you definitely have
lost some weight.
Oh yeah, I'm 270 now, okay,yeah, and was it?
Is that recent loss?
Um?
Speaker 3 (16:00):
over the last probably three years or so, I've
probably lost all the weight.
It's not like all at once, anda lot of it was from when I was
sick.
The first time when I went intothe hospital I had my
osteomyelitis.
For whatever reason, I don'tknow why.
I have it.
I can, I can eat meat.
You can ask these guys, all you, to be able all day, but I
don't.
I ain't gaining any weight.
(16:20):
I don't know why.
Speaker 1 (16:21):
Yeah, Phil, I'm going to run a little bit short on
time and I know that Scott hassome things he wants to talk
about.
Speaker 3 (16:28):
So we got to talk about that housing.
It's amazing.
Speaker 1 (16:31):
That's important for you, phil, and it's important
for a lot of the neighbors to beable so.
So, Scott, you know we had thisfundraiser last year and one of
the key things that we wantedto stress was housing.
For some of your neighbors,Housing.
Speaker 2 (16:44):
Yeah, housing first mentality, getting the
individuals off the streets andinto more of a stable
environment, it it woulddrastically increase the
probability of success.
And so we are weeks away.
Over this past year we've goneunder significant renovation, a
(17:06):
very elaborate, appropriate gameplan to get the houses ready,
and if it weren't for thesupportive community and Grow
Green Day and then also ourfundraiser, there was
significant monies needed to beraised for this and we couldn't
do it on our own.
So that's where the communityis huge for us as a whole.
(17:29):
The Manhattan community is sogiving and I think that they
recognize effort, they recognizethe stories that we're
uncovering and it's all somewhatlining up for an opportunity.
In Manhattan, there just is notthat supportive housing
(17:49):
structure.
There's such a gap related topeople.
Just there's a void whereindividuals don't have the
opportunity and people justthere's a void where individuals
don't have the opportunity.
Comparatively, in Topeka andSalina there's ample amounts of
these supportive housingprograms, but in Manhattan
there's just not.
So this is our take and we'regoing to launch it in five weeks
(18:10):
and we're going to do it reallywell.
All right, that's a big step.
Speaker 1 (18:14):
Yeah, it's going to be huge for us.
It's a big day for a lot ofyour neighbors, isn't it Correct
?
Speaker 2 (18:17):
Yes, yeah, it's going to be huge for us.
It's a big day for a lot ofyour neighbors, isn't it Correct
?
Yes, and our housing director,chad Wormstad Some of you may
recognize his name from yearspast.
He's ready to go.
We brought him back fromColorado Good, and he's all
rested and fresh and he's onfire to make this happen.
Speaker 3 (18:34):
And he'll beat anybody one-on-one in basketball
.
Speaker 1 (18:36):
Oh, will he now Will?
Don't beat anybody one-on-onein basketball.
Oh, will he now yeah, will henow yeah, okay.
Speaker 3 (18:40):
On you at 6'8" If we lower the goal down.
Oh, okay.
Well, there's that.
Speaker 1 (18:44):
Hey, phil.
Thank you for sharing yourstory.
Best wishes to you.
Speaker 3 (18:46):
Thank you, dave.
I appreciate you guys forletting me be a part of all this
, yeah.
Speaker 1 (18:49):
Well, that's these guys that do Yep.
Keep doing the doing the Lord'swork.
Speaker 3 (18:57):
Here we go, appreciate you.
Speaker 1 (18:59):
Yeah, and Jared is off.
Mike, yeah, he's, he's all justdocumenting things.
So, good luck tomorrow withGrow Green Match Day.
Speaker 3 (19:06):
He's our diamond that forms under pressure.
Oh, look at that.
It's the.
Speaker 1 (19:11):
GMCF Community Hour and Vern's going to be stepping
in next with some closingthoughts as we get ready for
Grow Green Match Day, which istomorrow.
Here on the GMCF Community Hour.
Philanthropy Today is brought to you by the Greater
Manhattan Community Foundation.
In this episode we feature arecently broadcast segment of
the GMCF Community Hour as heardon NewsRadio KMAN.
And we are back the GMCFCommunity Hour here on NewsRadio
KMAN.
Our next segment is about anorganization that's fairly new
(00:22):
but my goodness, they have beenso effective and so engaged in
the community Be Able.
And we are going to bring inthe dude.
That kind of got Be Ablestarted.
And we also have another guestwho we're going to be visiting
with, but first Scott Voos.
Hi, hey, hey, dave, it's goodto have you here.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
Yes, it's really good to be here.
I really look forward to thisThanks for having us.
Speaker 1 (00:44):
Where were you 10 years ago?
Speaker 2 (00:46):
Oh, oh, 10 years ago I was working at Manhattan
Technical College.
Yeah, I was an allied healthadvisor.
Fun fact, I was also the firstever athletic director.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
Oh, when they had the golf program.
Speaker 2 (01:02):
Yeah, golf and women's cross country.
Speaker 1 (01:05):
Yeah, I just saw.
I had a visit with Rob Edelstonthe other day, who I have a
tremendous amount ofappreciation for yeah, I worked
under him for sure, and he wasin for another podcast with
Kathy Dawes Scogs that I workwith and just had a great visit
about some of the stuff thatthey're doing there.
Speaker 2 (01:31):
But, man, you've had some challenges and those
challenges begat Be Able.
Are you referencing personalstruggles?
Whatnot?
Yeah, I think the school oflife has definitely prepared me
for an understanding and anappreciation of working with
people going through adversity.
Speaker 1 (01:41):
Yeah, yeah.
So this is what about fouryears now, five years for BeAble
, yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
September of this year, we will complete our fifth
year in operation.
Okay, I think so.
Yeah, wow, yeah, it's, it'sadding up, isn't it?
That's crazy, definitely.
Speaker 1 (01:55):
And and and one of the things that you know you're
you're doing terrific work andthere's uh, there, there's so
many aspects to what you do atBeAble, but considering what
you've accomplished in fiveyears time and how many lives
you have changed is absolutely atremendous testament to your
vision, your direction, yourleadership and all the people
(02:17):
that are associated.
I know you got a lot of greatstaff down there and then you
get people like Phil that we'regoing to talk with here just a
little bit.
That that helps share themessage.
Speaker 2 (02:29):
Yeah, I think um not only working and finding
individuals going throughadversity and working with them,
but I think another componentof what we do is trying to
uncover the stories of of who isout there and giving reasons
why things are the way they are.
So that's a big part of what wedo, but I would be remiss to
(02:49):
mention that the Lord hasprovided us with an army of
supporters, and it was reallyimportant for me from day one to
surround myself with peoplethat are better than I am, and
and I think that that's thesecret sauce is is uh, we have a
strong staff volunteercomponent, and then also the
(03:11):
other uh church groups, civicgroups that we allow uh and
empower them to to be within thefamily to help out.
Speaker 1 (03:19):
Yeah, well, it's a.
It's a fantastic story, andthere are probably some
listeners here joining us todaythat may not really be aware of
what Be Able does.
So, before we jump into talkingwith one of your neighbors,
give us the 30-second elevatorspeech about Be Able.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
Yeah, so I like to consider us as a daytime
community resource center, andwhat we do is we open up our
doors each day from eight tofour o'clock each day, and
anybody that walks through thedoors can access our facility
for anything from coffee tocomputer access, laundry and
(03:58):
shower facility down there, andthen also knowledge of what
resources are in our community.
We also we also have a wholehost of other um programming
meant for life improvements, andthen what I hope to talk about
a little bit later is is oursupportive housing program that
we're about to open up in a fewweeks.
So, um, 431 South fifth street,right behind the Manhattan
(04:22):
emergency shelter, down the roadfrom the breadbasket, we are
very well placed on Yuma Street,all right.
Speaker 1 (04:28):
Well, I tell you what .
Let's shift gears here.
Let's talk to Phil Phil Hicks.
Welcome to the GMCF CommunityHour.
Nice to meet you, dave.
Absolutely, you're a big dude.
Thank you, I appreciate that.
And you're in a boot, and Imean like a boot, like you.
Just you just like got allkinds of gauze and tape and
things on your foot.
Speaker 3 (04:47):
What's that all about ?
Well, uh, kind of ties into mystory about me being out here.
I moved out here last Octoberin my car, uh, to get, try to
find better health, get my feetback on solid ground, get my
seven-year-old back out here Um,just kind of changed my life
around.
You know, I made a decision toturn my life over to the Lord
and kind of asked him to pointme in the right direction.
(05:08):
And Manhattan is where hebrought me out.
To why Manhattan?
Um, honestly, I really don'teven know.
I came out in my car, startedheading East one day from where
I was at and, uh, I was prayingone night and came here, started
door dashing in my car a littlebit and I was like, you know,
it's not really that bad.
Uh, decided to stick around alittle bit.
(05:28):
And short term, in the shortterm of me being here in October
, that was when I've I had heardof be able and found out about
the be able community and I hadcalled Scott and kind of let him
know, you know what I was goingthrough.
And he's like well, come downand talk to me.
And I came down and talked tohim and since then things have
just kind of been rolling likewildfire.
Things have been turning aroundand a lot of good things have
(05:49):
been happening since I movedhere.
Speaker 1 (05:50):
We've had a number of fellow neighbors come in and
talk and one of the things thatI'd like to do is get you know a
little bit of the backgroundstory filled and Scott had
mentioned adversities.
Yeah, can you share a littlebit about some of the challenges
that you had?
Speaker 3 (06:07):
So years ago out in the small communities that I was
at probably 2020, I would say2020 or 2021, I had a problem
with my left foot, where it hada sore on it, and that ended up
leading to me having two stentsin my heart.
So the battle with my healthhas been an ongoing battle for
years.
I've lost my mother at 2000.
May 14, 2011, when I was 21years old, from renal failure,
(06:33):
and her passing was probablybecause she didn't take care of
herself that well, and there'sbeen times in my life Another
thing I came out here for was myanxiety and my depression.
It was through the roof and Iwas done with everything.
I didn't want to be aroundanymore.
I kind of had a lot ofdifferent bad thoughts and, uh,
the Lord helped pull me out ofthose, and so my mental health
(06:55):
has also been something I'dstruggled with over the years
and, uh, being able to come outhere and find a place with, you
know, so much compassion andcare and and where people you
know there's many more peoplethan me that are struggling, and
a lot of them in a lot worseway than I am.
You know, I was in my car andmy foot really couldn't heal,
(07:16):
because I'm six foot eight, youknow, and you have to sleep in
six eight.
Yeah, you have to sleep inuncomfortable positions and
stuff, but, above and beyond allyou know, the Lord is always
good, no matter what he's goingto, he's not going to put you
through something that you'renot meant to overcome or to get
stronger from.
I guess is what I would say.
That's what I've learned overmy years.
Speaker 1 (07:39):
And you talked about you know your faith.
Yeah, was that something thatwas?
Speaker 3 (07:42):
a part of your life.
It's been a part of my life,throughout my life, but it's
never been something that I wasreally super consistent and
super focused on.
So I would kind of let that goon the back burner and I'd put
it behind me, and then thingswould fall apart, you know, and
then when I'd pick my faith backup or I'd start digging back
into it, things would startpiecing themselves back together
(08:03):
.
Speaker 1 (08:04):
Yeah, Well, and and, and.
We all have these stories.
You know we all get to sharethese stories here on the on the
show, and that's one of thethings that I think our
listeners really appreciate.
And that's one of the thingsthat I like about what Jared and
Scott are doing with thisprogram is they're giving us an
opportunity to visit with someof the neighbors at Be Able so
that we can see, or at leasthear, firsthand the impact that
(08:27):
the work at Be Able is doing.
So you came and talked to Scottat Be Able is doing.
So you came and talked to Scott.
What has happened through?
Speaker 3 (08:38):
your time at Be Able to help you.
First off, getting there, Ithink when I first linked up
with these guys, I'm pretty suremy tag was out of date on my
car and stuff too.
So I'm sleeping on my car.
My tag's out of date, Didn'thave any insurance, needed a
bunch of insulin, all kinds ofdifferent meds and stuff.
So, like immediately uponmeeting them, I got hooked up
with a retain works.
(08:59):
Uh, retain works set me up withKansa Prairie and Kansa Prairie
ended up getting six to $700 inmy medications for like 10
bucks for me.
So that was one of the hugestblessings right off the bat.
Okay, um, I ended up doing somethings and figuring out how to
get my car worked out and stuff.
I can't remember if you guyshelped me tag it or not.
I think you might've.
Yeah, at the first time.
(09:20):
Second time I tagged my car.
I know I did the tagging butthey had kind of helped me with
insurance.
There's another program, alsocalled uh, what is it?
The guardians?
I had an alternator go out inmy car so the guardians had
helped me with that.
Uh, they have.
There's any meetings and stuffthat they do there that I would
that I go to.
I don't go to all of them nowcause I'm working at McDonald's
at night and it's during thetime that the meetings are going
(09:42):
.
But they have a lotto classwhich is like uh, it's a talk
where you know we talk abouteveryday life and just share,
people share.
It's like a peer-to-peermentoring group that you try to
focus on positive things andpositive happenings and creating
a positive mindset or positiveoutlook for your peers, some of
them that are unable to findthat light, that's in the dark,
(10:06):
and they also have a financeprogram there.
I haven't done a whole lot withthat, but they have a guy that
comes in, he'll talk to you onfinance.
One thing Scott didn't touch onis they have an art room and a
music room and that is verytherapeutic for people too.
That is kind of starting totake off a little bit.
More and more people are comingin there and doing paintings
(10:29):
and stuff.
And uh, I think even a coupleof the organizations out here
over the winter time had likefundraisers and stuff and some
of us neighbors that would doartwork, they were able to like
auction some of our artwork andstuff off too.
So that's, it's neat.
It helps the community as awhole.
And then another thing I like todo would be I'd worked a lot of
(10:50):
the K state games with VernVern, so we'd do cleanups and
stuff afterwards.
Well, a lot of these people outhere you know that are my
neighbors are homeless and theyhaven't been to games before and
they haven't got to experiencethings like that.
So a lot of people would giveaway free tickets to the games.
So we would carpool neighborsand peers up there and we'd go
clean and we'd come back.
You know, a lot of them wouldget dropped back off and be able
(11:10):
to go to the warming station orto the shelter where they were
staying.
Some people would stay underthe bridge.
You know we're being real abouteverything, but, uh, just having
that, I don't know.
I, I.
There's a group of of kindnessand compassion and generosity in
Manhattan that is unfoundanywhere Like I've.
I've been to different citiesand stuff and I'm this isn't the
(11:32):
only time in my life that I'vebeen homeless, so it has been
harder in other areas, butthere's a the lord's here and
you can feel it.
You can feel every bit ofkindness and generosity at all
these different places you goand be able definitely is a I.
I honestly think they shouldbuild like a lighthouse there or
something, because that placeso with the big beacon that goes
(11:53):
around.
Here we are it's definitely aplace where people can.
I've I've had several peoplesince I've been here that have
come in here that didn't evenwant to exist anymore and by the
end of the day, just meetingwith some of us or whatever,
their whole, whole aura wasflipped around and, uh, moments
like that and times like thatare things that I take to heart
the most, because I've been inthat position.
(12:14):
I've tried to eliminate myselfmore than once and the Lord has
directly told me that.
I have a purpose.
You can't do that Like, I'm notgoing to let you, you know.
So, um, I it's, it's fun beingout here.
I'm, I'm liking it and I'mgoing to keep working.
I know I'm not in an apartmentor anything yet, but I'm close
to it.
I'm still in the cracks, youknow, but I'm slowly getting
(12:38):
myself out of it and the peoplethat I build myself around.
Like Scott said, when yousurround yourself around better,
you become better yourself.
So I just got to keep thatmindset and that outlook on
things and just realize that theLord is always going to be
better.
So if I surround myself aroundhim, he's going to help me find
everybody else.
That's better too.
Speaker 1 (12:55):
You know you had mentioned earlier on that.
Uh, you had a at that timeseven year old.
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (13:01):
Well, he's seven now.
He was four before.
Yes, he was four when I got mystents in my heart and, uh, his.
So him and his uh six-year-oldbrother at the time were with me
.
I was a single dad, uh, takingcare of both the boys and I
ended up getting in the hospitaland their mom had come by when
I was in the hospital.
She wanted to visit them for alittle bit, but she ended up
(13:22):
leaving with the kids.
So I video chat them for nowuntil, uh, things are better for
me, and then, once things arebetter, I'll have my son back
and I can't wait for it.
He's going to love it out hereand when you talk about um being
in the hospital.
Speaker 1 (13:36):
you know, yeah, so you've had surgery.
What's this all about?
Speaker 3 (13:40):
Two weeks ago.
My uh, so my toe has had anulcer in it this whole time.
I've been dealing with it sinceMarch of last year.
That's why I moved out here inOctober.
Um, just it, it heals up alittle bit and then it
backtracks.
I mean, I heal up and thenbacktrack and ended up I guess a
couple weeks ago.
Found out it was broken, foundout it had osteomyelitis in it.
(14:02):
I was borderline sepsis, so thatcould have been really bad.
I could have just, you know,died.
But uh, the lord, like I said,he has other plans.
There's always a reason foreverything.
They told me I wouldn't haveany balance after this thing got
taken off.
They didn't have to dischargeme with any pt.
I don't have no assisted device.
I started working the next day.
Um was shooting hoops.
(14:22):
The same day I got out of thehospital I made seven shots in a
row.
Speaker 1 (14:26):
I've never do you have any?
Speaker 3 (14:27):
eligibility left.
Eligibility for what?
For basketball?
I For basketball, I mean, Iwish.
Speaker 1 (14:31):
I'm 35, so probably not Well, I mean, age is not a,
I'm almost as old as LeBron.
Speaker 2 (14:35):
The players befriended Phil.
Oh, did they really?
Speaker 3 (14:38):
Yeah, I made a couple good friends from some of the
athletes just cleaning up afterthe games and stuff.
Speaker 2 (14:45):
They would bring him steak dinners down.
Speaker 3 (14:46):
I got a filet, mignon find them.
Yeah, down to the shelter.
It was fun, it's been amazingfor our listeners benefit you.
Speaker 1 (14:53):
You've got a k-state shirt on.
You got a k-state ball cap on.
I see that it's got someautographs on it as well.
Were you a k-state guy beforeyou came here?
Speaker 3 (15:00):
I've always been a k-state guy.
I uh, I remember back when, Ithink, bill snyder left the
first time that football seasonyeah, they played missouri up
here I believe it was, and bradBrad Smith was playing for them,
if I remember right, and webeat them.
I remember we beat them.
It wasn't that bad, it was justa little.
I think we beat them.
Maybe they beat us.
Speaker 1 (15:21):
Yeah, I'm pretty sure we did.
Yeah, I think we beat themBecause that was my first year
as the announcer.
Speaker 3 (15:26):
I've never been to that many games that we've lost
at, which is fun.
I've been to a few, but uh,yeah, just I remember being at
that football game and you knowsmacking everybody's hands at
the end of it and stuff.
I was a huge football guy.
So, 2006, I was only asophomore in high school.
I was six, eight, uh, three, 85, playing football myself.
Yeah, I was a.
I was a monster in high school.
Speaker 1 (15:46):
So so I take your diabetic?
Yeah, type two, uh huh, okay,and uh, you, you definitely have
lost some weight.
Oh yeah, I'm 270 now, okay,yeah, and was it?
Is that recent loss?
Um?
Speaker 3 (16:00):
over the last probably three years or so, I've
probably lost all the weight.
It's not like all at once, anda lot of it was from when I was
sick.
The first time when I went intothe hospital I had my
osteomyelitis.
For whatever reason, I don'tknow why.
I have it.
I can, I can eat meat.
You can ask these guys, all you, to be able all day, but I
don't.
I ain't gaining any weight.
(16:20):
I don't know why.
Speaker 1 (16:21):
Yeah, Phil, I'm going to run a little bit short on
time and I know that Scott hassome things he wants to talk
about.
Speaker 3 (16:28):
So we got to talk about that housing.
It's amazing.
Speaker 1 (16:31):
That's important for you, phil, and it's important
for a lot of the neighbors to beable so.
So, Scott, you know we had thisfundraiser last year and one of
the key things that we wantedto stress was housing.
For some of your neighbors,Housing.
Speaker 2 (16:44):
Yeah, housing first mentality, getting the
individuals off the streets andinto more of a stable
environment, it it woulddrastically increase the
probability of success.
And so we are weeks away.
Over this past year we've goneunder significant renovation, a
(17:06):
very elaborate, appropriate gameplan to get the houses ready,
and if it weren't for thesupportive community and Grow
Green Day and then also ourfundraiser, there was
significant monies needed to beraised for this and we couldn't
do it on our own.
So that's where the communityis huge for us as a whole.
(17:29):
The Manhattan community is sogiving and I think that they
recognize effort, they recognizethe stories that we're
uncovering and it's all somewhatlining up for an opportunity.
In Manhattan, there just is notthat supportive housing
(17:49):
structure.
There's such a gap related topeople.
Just there's a void whereindividuals don't have the
opportunity and people justthere's a void where individuals
don't have the opportunity.
Comparatively, in Topeka andSalina there's ample amounts of
these supportive housingprograms, but in Manhattan
there's just not.
So this is our take and we'regoing to launch it in five weeks
(18:10):
and we're going to do it reallywell.
All right, that's a big step.
Speaker 1 (18:14):
Yeah, it's going to be huge for us.
It's a big day for a lot ofyour neighbors, isn't it Correct
?
Speaker 2 (18:17):
Yes, yeah, it's going to be huge for us.
It's a big day for a lot ofyour neighbors, isn't it Correct
?
Yes, and our housing director,chad Wormstad Some of you may
recognize his name from yearspast.
He's ready to go.
We brought him back fromColorado Good, and he's all
rested and fresh and he's onfire to make this happen.
Speaker 3 (18:34):
And he'll beat anybody one-on-one in basketball
.
Speaker 1 (18:36):
Oh, will he now Will?
Don't beat anybody one-on-onein basketball.
Oh, will he now yeah, will henow yeah, okay.
Speaker 3 (18:40):
On you at 6'8" If we lower the goal down.
Oh, okay.
Well, there's that.
Speaker 1 (18:44):
Hey, phil.
Thank you for sharing yourstory.
Best wishes to you.
Speaker 3 (18:46):
Thank you, dave.
I appreciate you guys forletting me be a part of all this
, yeah.
Speaker 1 (18:49):
Well, that's these guys that do Yep.
Keep doing the doing the Lord'swork.
Speaker 3 (18:57):
Here we go, appreciate you.
Speaker 1 (18:59):
Yeah, and Jared is off.
Mike, yeah, he's, he's all justdocumenting things.
So, good luck tomorrow withGrow Green Match Day.
Speaker 3 (19:06):
He's our diamond that forms under pressure.
Oh, look at that.
It's the.
Speaker 1 (19:11):
GMCF Community Hour and Vern's going to be stepping
in next with some closingthoughts as we get ready for
Grow Green Match Day, which istomorrow.
Here on the GMCF Community Hour.
Popular Podcasts
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.