July 22, 2025 • 15 mins
Richard Stitt shares his journey from psychiatric patient to co-founder of Morningstar, an organization that has provided invaluable support to individuals with persistent mental illness for 21 years. After finding stability with proper medication and achieving sobriety, Richard transformed his struggles into a mission that has helped countless people find purpose and community.
• Morningstar started 21 years ago after being discharged from Osawatomie Psychiatric Hospital
• Organization grew from 12 to 100 members before COVID; now serves about 60 people
• Everyone working at Morningstar has experienced mental illness, creating authentic understanding
• Services include transportation, social activities, job assistance, and therapeutic groups
• Daily schedule includes pick-up services, socialization time, and various support groups at 2 PM
• Richard hired successor Doncha McDonald after seeing "a spark in her eye."
• Now retiring at age 70 to spend time with his wife and pursue simple pleasures like fishing
• Maintained sobriety from methamphetamines for 22 years
• Proud of creating a safe environment where people can openly discuss mental health challenges
Thank you, Manhattan, for supporting Richard and Morningstar over the years. For more information about Morningstar and their work, visit MorningstarMentalHealth.org.
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, asheard on NewsRadio KMAN.
We are back with the nextsegment of the GMCF Community
Hour.
I'm Dave Lewis and our guest inthis segment is Richard Stitt,
(00:21):
and Richard has we could callyou a frequent flyer in here at
the show.
He has is the co-founder ofMorningstar, which helps with a
lot of individuals who have hadsome challenges and get them
back on their feet and give thema lot of things to do.
And Richard, welcome back tothe show.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
Well thank you, I'm glad to be here.
Speaker 1 (00:46):
You know you have such a story with Morningstar
and you know I got these littlecheat sheets they give me to
talk about.
You know the aspects of theorganization.
21 years ago was whenMorningstar began.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
I got out of the hospital Years ago was when
Morningstar began.
I got out of the hospitalOssawadamie 21 years ago and was
superior and persistent mentalillness and had nowhere to go
and nothing to do but watch TVand found Morningstar and they
just started needed an executivedirector.
(01:26):
So I said why not?
And I'll try it, and went fromthere and there you are.
Here I am.
Speaker 1 (01:34):
In 21 years.
How have you seen theorganization change?
Speaker 2 (01:38):
It grew a lot.
We went from about 12 people to100, and then COVID set in and
we dropped down to about 60.
We had about 60 members now,since we had to move out on the
(01:59):
other side of town since we'reout, not in the central part of
town anymore other side of town,since we're out, not in the
central part of town anymore andwe have 60 members that we take
care of persistent and severemental illness they all have and
(02:20):
so they're hard to take care of.
And we help them get jobs.
We help them just learn tomaintain with society and do
social activities so they learnto get along with people and
(02:42):
things like that.
Speaker 1 (02:51):
And then we have groups to teach them how to act
and so on.
You have created or co-created,I guess, probably because I
know you like to make sure thatthere's plenty of credit that
gets spread around with thepeople that you've worked with
an opportunity for individualsto give them activities, to give
them something to do, to helpthem find new friends and to
(03:13):
give them some greater sense ofrelevance in the community.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
Yeah, everybody that works there has a mental illness
.
Everybody that comes there hasa mental illness.
So we hire people that havemental illnesses and we give
them.
I see a spark in them and Igive them a chance and they grow
and they grow tremendously andsome of them are working for
(03:40):
Pawnee now.
Some of them are workingeverywhere and you wouldn't even
know that you have mentalillness anymore.
Speaker 1 (03:48):
Do you feel like you know the efforts that you have
put together not only gives thema greater sense of purpose, but
also do you feel that you'rehelping break that stigmatism
that kind of comes along withpeople that have mental illness?
Speaker 2 (04:06):
We hope so.
We sure try to.
Speaker 1 (04:10):
You want them to be functional members of the
community, and you've done thata number of times.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
Yes, very functional members of the community, and
you've done that a number oftimes.
Yes, very functional members ofthe community.
And we have a lot of success.
Speaker 1 (04:22):
So, richard, I open up my cue cards here, and now
you tell me you're going to hangit up.
Speaker 2 (04:30):
You're going to retire.
Speaker 1 (04:32):
Yeah, what is this all about, huh?
Speaker 2 (04:35):
Well, I turned 70 Thursday, Uh-huh and I'm tired.
Speaker 1 (04:41):
You're tired, you know, and we've known each other
for quite a few years now, andyou've had some health
challenges, but you never havelet them get in your way of
doing the work you want to dofor Morningstar.
Speaker 2 (04:59):
No, it's just time for me to give it up.
I want to do some stuff with mywife and travel a little bit
and go fishing.
I've collected fishingequipment off the internet.
I've been planning on goingfishing for over a year and
(05:22):
haven't got to yet.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
What do you want to go fishing for?
I don't know Wherever you candrop a line in the water.
You're there.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
Down at the dam just see what I can catch.
Speaker 1 (05:32):
That's about the best thing you could do for your
mental health.
I think, yeah, get one withnature.
Speaker 2 (05:36):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (05:39):
Good for you.
Does your wife like to fish?
Speaker 2 (05:40):
She said she's going to try it.
Speaker 1 (05:42):
Okay.
I got two fishing poles you gotplenty of adventures ahead of
you, don't you?
Yeah, uh-huh, so you'reretiring.
You turn 70.
This is boy.
The month of July has just gotall kinds of bright spots for
you, with a significant birthdayand your retirement, yeah.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
I'm pretty happy about it now.
Speaker 1 (06:03):
Let's reflect back on your 21 years of Morningstar.
And you know, and so you were,you know you got out of.
You said Osawatomie 21 yearsago.
Yeah, how long were you apatient there?
Speaker 2 (06:16):
Seven months.
Okay, I had seven months inthere.
I tried to hang myself while Iwas in there.
It kept me three months longer,and I was in and out of
treatment centers and hospitalssix times before that.
They just couldn't find theright medication for me, and
(06:41):
then some of the medication mademe sicker and so.
I tried to kill myself a bunchof times, and so they finally
found the right medication, andI've been on it for 20 years now
.
So they finally found the rightmedication and I've been on it
for 20 years now and been cleanand sober from methamphetamines
(07:01):
for 22 years now.
Speaker 1 (07:03):
Good, for you, good for you, and you've helped a lot
of people along the way, andthat's an outcome of the
experiences that you had leadingup to your stay there yes.
Experiences that you hadleading up to your stay there
yes.
As you look back at the last 21years of Morningstar, what are
some of the things that you'reproud of?
Speaker 2 (07:22):
Oh well, all the people that have grown from
there.
I'm proud of hiring Doncha.
She's grown so much that she'staken over the place.
Yeah.
And I saw a spark in her eyewhen I hired her and she started
(07:42):
writing grants and justblossomed Poof and is going to
be the executive director now.
Speaker 1 (07:51):
Okay, I hope that she's excited about the job.
I'm sure that she is.
Speaker 2 (07:55):
Yeah, Uh-huh yeah that she's excited about the job
?
I'm sure that she is.
Yeah, uh-huh, yeah, she's realexcited about it and taking it
on with the horns.
Mm-hmm and it's going realstrong on it.
I think she's going to do areal good job.
Speaker 1 (08:09):
What should we know about Donchette McDonald?
Speaker 2 (08:15):
She's got a great education from Stanford, so
she's real smart.
She's working really hard,really hard right now because
there's so much to do and solittle time, because she's
(08:41):
getting all the information outof me she can in the month I
have left.
Speaker 1 (08:48):
Month, you've got two weeks, two weeks.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
Less than two weeks, yeah, and so she's working hard.
Well, she's working hard.
Speaker 1 (08:59):
Well, she's definitely been a big addition
to the staff there, and I knowthe two of you have worked hand
(09:25):
in hand on so many thingscreated a lot of awareness of
not just what mental illnesslooks like from a patient's
perspective, but what mentalillness can look like in a
community that supports thosethat need help.
Speaker 2 (09:33):
Yes.
Speaker 1 (09:34):
And I think that that visual aspect is something that
people certainly appreciateabout the work that you and
Doncha have been able to witness.
Yeah, and I think that that's agreat testimony to the
organization and its success incontinuing to serve those with
mental illness.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
Yes, sir, we have tried to do our best to prove
that we are good people.
So what does a day at MorningStar look like?
Well, we go in and we have vans, we pick people up and people
(10:22):
come in on their own too, but wepick people up and drop them
off there, we give rides toanybody that calls and we
socialize for a while, and at 2o'clock we always have a group
(10:46):
of some kind of DRA, DualRecovery, Anonymous, anxiety and
depression and connections anddifferent groups, pathways to
recovery and different groups.
Pathways to Recovery, learninggroups about life and where you
(11:09):
can talk about your problems anddo a recovery analysis.
if you have an addiction and amental illness, both we talk
about your problems with both.
Speaker 1 (11:21):
I would imagine that it's not real easy for people to
come in and talk about a lot ofthese things and share some of
those things.
No, but do they find a sense ofcamaraderie in doing so in a
safe environment there atMorningstar?
Speaker 2 (11:36):
Yes, yes, in a safe environment there at Morningstar
.
Yes, yes, and especially whensomebody like me that's already
been there can talk and so theyknow that somebody that's
leading the group, has alreadygot the mental illness and got
(11:59):
the addiction problem, can leadthe group.
They can talk easily.
Speaker 1 (12:10):
I would hope that that makes it, you know, like
you know, the word safe placejust comes to mind to where
people can talk and they can.
You know, I would suppose thatsometimes you know, if know, if
you're talking and people don'thave the capacity to listen and
empathize and understand some ofthe things that you're saying,
that that can lead to even agreater frustration for
(12:32):
individuals that are dealingwith mental health challenges.
Speaker 2 (12:36):
So they can have the freedom to get up and leave and
go play cards and then we talkthen where it's more social, and
then they get to talking overcards or games and then they
break loose and start talkingand then finally they come into
(12:58):
our groups and start talking andthen finally they come into our
groups and start talking.
So there's different ways ofgetting to people.
Speaker 1 (13:08):
Through all the people that you've come to know,
that have walked through thedoors of Morningstar.
You feel like you've got a lotof fishing buddies ready to go
with you upon your retirement.
Speaker 2 (13:20):
A couple want to go Uh-huh, but I want to go alone
with my wife mostly.
Speaker 1 (13:28):
And what more can you ask for?
Speaker 2 (13:30):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (13:31):
Well, it's great to have that kind of support, and I
bet that this has not been aneasy road for her, but
definitely there's a lot of lovethere between the two of you,
and congratulations on that.
Speaker 2 (13:41):
Yeah, she's got a mental illness too and suffers,
and so we know each other verywell.
Yeah yeah, 14 years of marriage.
Speaker 1 (13:52):
Good for you.
Good for you.
Well, early happy birthdaywishes to you and
congratulations on the work thatyou have accomplished and what
you have created in Morningstar.
And after 21 years, you'regiving up here and letting
Dantja come in and let her haveher turn at the reins of it.
Speaker 2 (14:14):
Thank you everybody for supporting Morningstar and
me all these years.
Thank you, everybody forsupporting.
Speaker 1 (14:19):
Morningstar and me all these years, Richard Stitt.
He's founding leader ofMorningstar Incorporated.
You'll find them on East Point.
What's the best location?
Goodwill, Just down the roadthere from Goodwill or the
sidewalk from Goodwill.
Speaker 2 (14:38):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (14:39):
They're on East Point , so, richard, congratulations.
Thank you and if you want tofind out about Morningstar and
some of the work that they do,MorningstarMentalHealthorg is
their website.
A lot of information you canget there.
Taking our final break of theshow, and we'll have that Vern
Henrichs character come back inand talk about some things that
(14:59):
are coming up in the near futureand get a preview of next
week's show, the GMCF CommunityHour.
We do it every Monday morningat 10.
Brought to you by the GreaterManhattan Area Community
Foundation.
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, asheard on NewsRadio KMAN.
We are back with the nextsegment of the GMCF Community
Hour.
I'm Dave Lewis and our guest inthis segment is Richard Stitt,
(00:21):
and Richard has we could callyou a frequent flyer in here at
the show.
He has is the co-founder ofMorningstar, which helps with a
lot of individuals who have hadsome challenges and get them
back on their feet and give thema lot of things to do.
And Richard, welcome back tothe show.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
Well thank you, I'm glad to be here.
Speaker 1 (00:46):
You know you have such a story with Morningstar
and you know I got these littlecheat sheets they give me to
talk about.
You know the aspects of theorganization.
21 years ago was whenMorningstar began.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
I got out of the hospital Years ago was when
Morningstar began.
I got out of the hospitalOssawadamie 21 years ago and was
superior and persistent mentalillness and had nowhere to go
and nothing to do but watch TVand found Morningstar and they
just started needed an executivedirector.
(01:26):
So I said why not?
And I'll try it, and went fromthere and there you are.
Here I am.
Speaker 1 (01:34):
In 21 years.
How have you seen theorganization change?
Speaker 2 (01:38):
It grew a lot.
We went from about 12 people to100, and then COVID set in and
we dropped down to about 60.
We had about 60 members now,since we had to move out on the
(01:59):
other side of town since we'reout, not in the central part of
town anymore other side of town,since we're out, not in the
central part of town anymore andwe have 60 members that we take
care of persistent and severemental illness they all have and
(02:20):
so they're hard to take care of.
And we help them get jobs.
We help them just learn tomaintain with society and do
social activities so they learnto get along with people and
(02:42):
things like that.
Speaker 1 (02:51):
And then we have groups to teach them how to act
and so on.
You have created or co-created,I guess, probably because I
know you like to make sure thatthere's plenty of credit that
gets spread around with thepeople that you've worked with
an opportunity for individualsto give them activities, to give
them something to do, to helpthem find new friends and to
(03:13):
give them some greater sense ofrelevance in the community.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
Yeah, everybody that works there has a mental illness
.
Everybody that comes there hasa mental illness.
So we hire people that havemental illnesses and we give
them.
I see a spark in them and Igive them a chance and they grow
and they grow tremendously andsome of them are working for
(03:40):
Pawnee now.
Some of them are workingeverywhere and you wouldn't even
know that you have mentalillness anymore.
Speaker 1 (03:48):
Do you feel like you know the efforts that you have
put together not only gives thema greater sense of purpose, but
also do you feel that you'rehelping break that stigmatism
that kind of comes along withpeople that have mental illness?
Speaker 2 (04:06):
We hope so.
We sure try to.
Speaker 1 (04:10):
You want them to be functional members of the
community, and you've done thata number of times.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
Yes, very functional members of the community, and
you've done that a number oftimes.
Yes, very functional members ofthe community.
And we have a lot of success.
Speaker 1 (04:22):
So, richard, I open up my cue cards here, and now
you tell me you're going to hangit up.
Speaker 2 (04:30):
You're going to retire.
Speaker 1 (04:32):
Yeah, what is this all about, huh?
Speaker 2 (04:35):
Well, I turned 70 Thursday, Uh-huh and I'm tired.
Speaker 1 (04:41):
You're tired, you know, and we've known each other
for quite a few years now, andyou've had some health
challenges, but you never havelet them get in your way of
doing the work you want to dofor Morningstar.
Speaker 2 (04:59):
No, it's just time for me to give it up.
I want to do some stuff with mywife and travel a little bit
and go fishing.
I've collected fishingequipment off the internet.
I've been planning on goingfishing for over a year and
(05:22):
haven't got to yet.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
What do you want to go fishing for?
I don't know Wherever you candrop a line in the water.
You're there.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
Down at the dam just see what I can catch.
Speaker 1 (05:32):
That's about the best thing you could do for your
mental health.
I think, yeah, get one withnature.
Speaker 2 (05:36):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (05:39):
Good for you.
Does your wife like to fish?
Speaker 2 (05:40):
She said she's going to try it.
Speaker 1 (05:42):
Okay.
I got two fishing poles you gotplenty of adventures ahead of
you, don't you?
Yeah, uh-huh, so you'reretiring.
You turn 70.
This is boy.
The month of July has just gotall kinds of bright spots for
you, with a significant birthdayand your retirement, yeah.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
I'm pretty happy about it now.
Speaker 1 (06:03):
Let's reflect back on your 21 years of Morningstar.
And you know, and so you were,you know you got out of.
You said Osawatomie 21 yearsago.
Yeah, how long were you apatient there?
Speaker 2 (06:16):
Seven months.
Okay, I had seven months inthere.
I tried to hang myself while Iwas in there.
It kept me three months longer,and I was in and out of
treatment centers and hospitalssix times before that.
They just couldn't find theright medication for me, and
(06:41):
then some of the medication mademe sicker and so.
I tried to kill myself a bunchof times, and so they finally
found the right medication, andI've been on it for 20 years now
.
So they finally found the rightmedication and I've been on it
for 20 years now and been cleanand sober from methamphetamines
(07:01):
for 22 years now.
Speaker 1 (07:03):
Good, for you, good for you, and you've helped a lot
of people along the way, andthat's an outcome of the
experiences that you had leadingup to your stay there yes.
Experiences that you hadleading up to your stay there
yes.
As you look back at the last 21years of Morningstar, what are
some of the things that you'reproud of?
Speaker 2 (07:22):
Oh well, all the people that have grown from
there.
I'm proud of hiring Doncha.
She's grown so much that she'staken over the place.
Yeah.
And I saw a spark in her eyewhen I hired her and she started
(07:42):
writing grants and justblossomed Poof and is going to
be the executive director now.
Speaker 1 (07:51):
Okay, I hope that she's excited about the job.
I'm sure that she is.
Speaker 2 (07:55):
Yeah, Uh-huh yeah that she's excited about the job
?
I'm sure that she is.
Yeah, uh-huh, yeah, she's realexcited about it and taking it
on with the horns.
Mm-hmm and it's going realstrong on it.
I think she's going to do areal good job.
Speaker 1 (08:09):
What should we know about Donchette McDonald?
Speaker 2 (08:15):
She's got a great education from Stanford, so
she's real smart.
She's working really hard,really hard right now because
there's so much to do and solittle time, because she's
(08:41):
getting all the information outof me she can in the month I
have left.
Speaker 1 (08:48):
Month, you've got two weeks, two weeks.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
Less than two weeks, yeah, and so she's working hard.
Well, she's working hard.
Speaker 1 (08:59):
Well, she's definitely been a big addition
to the staff there, and I knowthe two of you have worked hand
(09:25):
in hand on so many thingscreated a lot of awareness of
not just what mental illnesslooks like from a patient's
perspective, but what mentalillness can look like in a
community that supports thosethat need help.
Speaker 2 (09:33):
Yes.
Speaker 1 (09:34):
And I think that that visual aspect is something that
people certainly appreciateabout the work that you and
Doncha have been able to witness.
Yeah, and I think that that's agreat testimony to the
organization and its success incontinuing to serve those with
mental illness.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
Yes, sir, we have tried to do our best to prove
that we are good people.
So what does a day at MorningStar look like?
Well, we go in and we have vans, we pick people up and people
(10:22):
come in on their own too, but wepick people up and drop them
off there, we give rides toanybody that calls and we
socialize for a while, and at 2o'clock we always have a group
(10:46):
of some kind of DRA, DualRecovery, Anonymous, anxiety and
depression and connections anddifferent groups, pathways to
recovery and different groups.
Pathways to Recovery, learninggroups about life and where you
(11:09):
can talk about your problems anddo a recovery analysis.
if you have an addiction and amental illness, both we talk
about your problems with both.
Speaker 1 (11:21):
I would imagine that it's not real easy for people to
come in and talk about a lot ofthese things and share some of
those things.
No, but do they find a sense ofcamaraderie in doing so in a
safe environment there atMorningstar?
Speaker 2 (11:36):
Yes, yes, in a safe environment there at Morningstar
.
Yes, yes, and especially whensomebody like me that's already
been there can talk and so theyknow that somebody that's
leading the group, has alreadygot the mental illness and got
(11:59):
the addiction problem, can leadthe group.
They can talk easily.
Speaker 1 (12:10):
I would hope that that makes it, you know, like
you know, the word safe placejust comes to mind to where
people can talk and they can.
You know, I would suppose thatsometimes you know, if know, if
you're talking and people don'thave the capacity to listen and
empathize and understand some ofthe things that you're saying,
that that can lead to even agreater frustration for
(12:32):
individuals that are dealingwith mental health challenges.
Speaker 2 (12:36):
So they can have the freedom to get up and leave and
go play cards and then we talkthen where it's more social, and
then they get to talking overcards or games and then they
break loose and start talkingand then finally they come into
(12:58):
our groups and start talking andthen finally they come into our
groups and start talking.
So there's different ways ofgetting to people.
Speaker 1 (13:08):
Through all the people that you've come to know,
that have walked through thedoors of Morningstar.
You feel like you've got a lotof fishing buddies ready to go
with you upon your retirement.
Speaker 2 (13:20):
A couple want to go Uh-huh, but I want to go alone
with my wife mostly.
Speaker 1 (13:28):
And what more can you ask for?
Speaker 2 (13:30):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (13:31):
Well, it's great to have that kind of support, and I
bet that this has not been aneasy road for her, but
definitely there's a lot of lovethere between the two of you,
and congratulations on that.
Speaker 2 (13:41):
Yeah, she's got a mental illness too and suffers,
and so we know each other verywell.
Yeah yeah, 14 years of marriage.
Speaker 1 (13:52):
Good for you.
Good for you.
Well, early happy birthdaywishes to you and
congratulations on the work thatyou have accomplished and what
you have created in Morningstar.
And after 21 years, you'regiving up here and letting
Dantja come in and let her haveher turn at the reins of it.
Speaker 2 (14:14):
Thank you everybody for supporting Morningstar and
me all these years.
Thank you, everybody forsupporting.
Speaker 1 (14:19):
Morningstar and me all these years, Richard Stitt.
He's founding leader ofMorningstar Incorporated.
You'll find them on East Point.
What's the best location?
Goodwill, Just down the roadthere from Goodwill or the
sidewalk from Goodwill.
Speaker 2 (14:38):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (14:39):
They're on East Point , so, richard, congratulations.
Thank you and if you want tofind out about Morningstar and
some of the work that they do,MorningstarMentalHealthorg is
their website.
A lot of information you canget there.
Taking our final break of theshow, and we'll have that Vern
Henrichs character come back inand talk about some things that
(14:59):
are coming up in the near futureand get a preview of next
week's show, the GMCF CommunityHour.
We do it every Monday morningat 10.
Brought to you by the GreaterManhattan Area Community
Foundation.
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
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.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.