The need for childcare was identified in 2019 after a discussion with the City of Hillsboro, the Hillsboro Community Foundation, and business leaders across the County. The leading concern was presented as a workforce challenge due to the lack of available childcare. This discussion prompted the formation of a Taskforce charged with analyzing data and researching initiatives to address our childcare crisis in Marion County. 

The Hillsboro Community Foundation (HCF), an affiliate of Central Kansas Community Foundation, made childcare their main goal in the Fall of 2018 to help Hillsboro and Marion County with our daycare challenges. HCF distributed several grants to in-home daycare providers to assist them with supplies and various training needed to run their daycare from their homes. Only two home daycare providers contacted us for those grants to which the HCF Board had allocated five of those grants.

 Since 2019, the Taskforce has grown from a group of 20 passionate community members to an official 501 (c)(3) not-for-profit governing board. The Hillsboro Community Child Care (H4C) Board represents various sectors of our community including Civic, Education, Public Health, Religious, Business, Parent Representative, local Child Care Provider, and the Hillsboro Community Foundation.

A quick look into Marion County’s demographics from Child Care Aware of Kansas show the demand for childcare only being met at 32%. This means of the 507 children under the age of six with both parents in the workforce, there are 346 children that potentially need childcare. 

In July of 2021, H4C completed a community needs assessment in partnership with K-State Research and Extension. The assessment results indicated a need for more overall childcare in addition to infant care.

H4C utilized the findings as a guide with the hope to establish a childcare center for up to 99 children birth through 5 years of age. In January of 2022, the plan came to life as H4C was graciously gifted a building from Trinity Mennonite Church with the intent to establish a childcare center. In addition to the childcare center, the facility will include office space for community entities that support families and youth. 

Since the gift of the facility, the H4C Board has worked tirelessly with community and state partners to make H4C a reality. The work has included bi-monthly board meetings, communication with the architect firm, childcare licensing orientation, application of grants, networking events, forming partnerships, and seeking donations. The H4C board partnered with HCF by creating the H4C Childcare Fund in 2022. The H4C Board’s initial fundraising goal was to reach $600,000 in community donations. Once reached, H4C would be eligible for a matching block grant valued at $600,000 and additional private donation valued at $600,000. The H4C Board has announced this initial goal of $600,000 was reached in June of 2023. 

Then in July of 2023, the H4C Board announced the Hillsboro Community Child Care Center received three separate sources of funding including: the Child Care Capacity Accelerator Grant valued at $855,216 from the Kansas Children’s Cabinet and Trust Fund, the Community Development Block Grant valued at $600,000 from the Kansas Department of Commerce, and a $600,000 local pledge.

The local donations collected by HCF have included many anonymous gifts and several large gifts from Container Services ($100,000) and Barkman Honey ($600,000). The Hillsboro Community Foundation would like to thank all the local donors for their donations to H4C.   Without those gifts the grant money received would not have been available. The local donations received since September of 2022 are valued at approximately $1,150,000.

The Hillsboro Community Foundation and H4C’s partnership with the Patterson Family Foundation has been a big part of our fundraising efforts. First of the Patterson Family Foundation partnered with the Hillsboro Community Foundation with a $70,000 match grant of which $35,000 went to H4C. Within the Child Care Aware of Kansas, Child Care Capacity Building Plans Grant, we received $67,834 from the Patterson Family Foundation and from the Child Care Capacity Accelerator Grant we received $200,000.00 from the Patterson Family Foundation. The total amount of funding received through grants and matches from the Patterson Family Foundation was $302,834. 

As the fundraising phase of the campaign continues HCF with their host organization, Central Kansas Community Foundation, evaluated short term investment strategies with the H4C Board. A campaign investment strategy allowing the fund to take advantage of the high interest rates was established. The strategy includes short-term CD’s and a money market pool for donation protection during this short-term project initiative.

The HC4 Board is incredibly thankful for the countless donations and overall support from the community! The Hillsboro Community Child Care Center (H4C) has truly been a community lead initiative. The understanding and value of childcare has only grown since that initial meeting in 2019. 

As partners, the Hillsboro Community Foundation and H4C are planning to have a community celebration later this this year, so please stay informed. If you wish to contribute to this endeavor, Click Here or contact Max Heinrichs, Director of HCF, at director@hcfoundationks.org or 620.947.0170. 

It is our honor to present our 2022 Annual Report.

Our individual and collective vision for thriving communities that leads our work was fully demonstrated in 2022. A few examples are presented in our report that relate to how our Vision encompasses local Heritage, Generosity, Influence, and Legacy…

Our vision for the future is bright because our donors, partners, charities, affiliates, and staff demonstrate such dedication to making our piece of the world a better place.

Angie Tatro, CEO
Central Kansas Community Foundation

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Central Kansas Community Foundation is moving its corporate office from 301 N. Main, Suite 200 to 400 S Main, Suite 100, Newton, KS 67114, effective August 1, 2023.

After downsizing during COVID-19 restrictions, the Foundation is eager to expand their space again. This move is possible due to the generosity of Kathy and Frank Stucky who are donating the space for office use at 400 S Main. “This is a tremendously generous gift”, said Angie Tatro, CEO. Elimiating rental costs allows our operating dollars to be used more efficiently on providing our services to donors and charities, she went on to say. Kathy Stucky shared, “We are very appreciative of the efforts and mission of Central Kansas Community Foundation and are honored to contribute in this manner.”

The Foundation transition will take a little time, so please be patient. Later this fall, the CKCF Board of Directors will host an Open House. We will keep you posted on those details. In the meantime, you can learn more at centralkansas.org or contact staff at 316-283-5474.

 

Main Street Organization Kicks Off Ongoing Campaign For Beautification Projects

Choose Newton Main Street, in partnership with the Central Kansas Community Foundation and Newton Area Chamber of Commerce, this month launched a capital campaign for beautification projects in the city’s historic downtown.

The campaign is intended to address some of the needs identified by Choose Newton Main Street and the Newton Area Chamber of Commerce for the downtown district, including a sound system and new holiday decorations as the initial projects.

The campaign has set a goal of $100,000 by the end of 2024.

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE!

The Choose Newton Fund is a component fund of Newton Community Foundation, an affiliate of the Central Kansas Community Foundation. 

On March 2, 2023 Central Kansas Community Foundation (CKCF) hosted the annual CKCF – Affiliate Summit entitled Lead. Match. Grow. Our Guest Speaker was Ed O’Malley, President and CEO of Kansas Health Foundation (KHF) and formerly with Kansas Leadership Center, created an environment of inspiration for the nearly 50 attendees at the Sand Creek Event Center in Newton, Kansas. His message encompassed the vision Kansas Leadership Center exemplifies with a basic tenet that everyone has a leadership position, and the best results and achievements are experienced when it is exercised by all. He shared highlights from his latest book, When Everyone Leads: How The Toughest Challenges Are Seen And Solved, to guide his genuine message calling our group of board members and staff to be active in our work serving communities. Several books were given away during the days events and activities.

As we transitioned from LEADing to MATCHing, O’Malley acknowledged the history of KHF providing matching grant funds for the establishment and growth of Community Foundations in Kansas for more than 20 years. He celebrated with us as we announced our new partnership with Patterson Family Foundation. They are investing in eligible community foundations, across Kansas and part of Missouri, a 70,000-match program for growing rural communities. This is a tremendous opportunity for the central Kansas service area. O’Malley encouraged engaging in our foundations in new ways and taking bold steps to achieve this match and beyond that work to understand what ones community is really seeking to achieve, identifying what is the not only the mission but what is the vision. How will you know you are successful.

In preparation for launching MATCH initiatives, Megan Smith was brought on to  the CKCF team as a Development Consultant. Megan has over 15 years of experience in fundraising. During the Summit she walked through guidelines for the Patterson Family Foundation match program and offered her services for support of affiliate  planning. With the excitement of this opportunity, we recognized Marketing and Communication preparation will be key. Laurel Woodward-Breckbill, a freelance Marketing Consultant for CKCF was invited to provide tips on storytelling, marketing tools  and use of social media for broadening awareness as a foundation as well for a specific event. Table top discussions were sprinkled in throughout the day and provided participants a chance to share ideas and best practices from raising awareness to event ideas. Laurel as well as Andrea Braker at Community Creative Services are resources to affiliates to help supporting their marketing and communication efforts.

Thanks to staff at CKCF and the Development and Appreciation Committee for making the venue comfortable and inviting. We also thank Lyndsey Cakes and Bakes for providing the lunch.

Menocause, a component fund of Valley Center Community Foundation, has grown and sustained
membership of 101 men in 2021 and 2022. In February they awarded $25,250 in grants to local
charities and invested $25,500 in their endowment.

One of the grant recipients, the Youth Horizons Wren House, serves at-risk girls in Sedgwick County. According to Spike Anderson, Menocause founder and board member, the Menocause Grant Review Committee felt compelled to support the Wren House, a first-of-its-kind project which opened in Valley Center in 2022. He hopes Menocause grant will help give the program a solid start.

Continue Reading to learn more about the Wren House.

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Wren House provides mentoring and other services in a nurturing and safe environment. The
home will offer programs designed to help its residents function at higher levels, avoid missteps and setbacks through earlier intervention, and enjoy a continuum of care that helps them eventually transition into independent living. The first phase will create capacity for 12 girls.

Where will these girls come from?
Girls and young women trapped in tough circumstances endure among us. They roam in daylight and in the shadows, often lacking access to resources, trusted networks, and other support necessary to build a better life. They are preyed on by perpetrators, ensnared in a cruel cycle of abuse, and rank among our community’s most vulnerable. To address this community need, YH is building the Wren Home on 40 acres donated by late philanthropist Keith Wren. Mr. Wren requested his gifted land be developed in a way that provides for girls and young women who are at-risk of human trafficking.

How it will be used to serve
The Wren Home will serve as a key partner in a collaborative local effort to combat teenage runaways, early alcohol and substance addiction, prostitution, and other forms of physical and mental health abuse. The Wren Home process has included research, engaged many stakeholders and featured a diverse task force that continues to provide counsel. Project partners include Hope Ranch, St. Francis Child Services, and the Wichita State University Center for Combating Human Trafficking. The collaboration will produce a Wren Home Advisory Board, comprised of leaders and other advocates who will help ensure success.

NEW HIRE: CKCF PROGRAM ASSISTANT, PATTY MELLINGER

Hello! My name is Patty Mellinger. I grew up in the Hutchinson area and graduated from Buhler High School. I received my bachelor’s degree in Social Work from Bethel College. Most of my working years were with Harvey County Parents as Teachers. I worked for 15 years as a parent educator, serving families in Newton, Hesston, and Halstead.

I have been married to John for 31 years and we have two grown daughters, Lauren Miller (Dalton) and Courtney Stucky (Kyle). We are blessed to have our family living close, Lauren in Topeka and Courtney in Newton. We also have a funny dog that is a Schnauzer/Havanese mix, named Winston.

I am excited to be the Program Assistant with the Central Kansas Community Foundation! I have been working in the “for profit” sector in Wichita for the past few years, and I look forward to being back in Newton in the non-profit world again, serving the Newton community and Central Kansas.

NEW CONTRACT PARTNER: MEGAN SMITH, G2 SOLUTIONS

Megan Smith is founder and owner of G2 Solutions, LLC specializing in non-profit consulting along with custom marketing and communication solutions for non-profits and small businesses.

She has 15 years of non-profit and small business experience and brings a broad background and skillset to the table when collaborating with partners. The focus of her contract with CKCF in 2023 will be cultivating donor relationships, coordinating the new CKCF Spring Soiree and rolling out a new opportunity for affiliate foundations.

Megan enjoys the opportunity to work creatively and build relationships with local organizations. She is a graduate of Hesston High School and Baker University; Megan and her family live in Hesston.

NEWTON AREA WOMEN OF THE YEAR NOMINATIONS ARE OPEN!

The Newton Area Women of the Year organization has a longstanding, honorable tradition of recognizing and celebrating noteworthy women who freely give of their time and talents to make our community a better place. These women, who have been recognized each year since 1956, have served our community above and beyond in business, education, healthcare, religion, and civic service.

Who will the next deserving women be to receive this honor? Nominations are now being accepted for the 2023 Newton Area Women of the Year! Click the link to nominate an exceptional woman from the area today.

NOMINATION FORM

You can support this organization, so they can continue to serve our community in a meaningful and sustainable way. Please donate to the Newton WOY Scholarship or Operational fund today!

SCHOLARSHIP FUND

OPERATIONAL FUND

 

Giving Tuesday 2022 Recap:

CKCF and several affiliates hosted a dozen different fall campaigns and Giving Tuesday Events. Click the button to see the total impact results!

GIVING TUESDAY IMPACT