We talk with Vicky James and Andrea De Jesus about how Nourish Together connects local farms, health partners, donors, and volunteers to fight food insecurity and reduce food waste in Manhattan, Kansas. We dig into produce prescriptions, blessing boxes, and food recovery wins that show how small actions can drive real systems change.
• rebranding to Nourish Together to unite programs under one clear umbrella
• Healthy Food Rx and the Food Is Medicine approach to chronic disease prevention
• $25 produce vouchers plus a $10 match and where vouchers can be redeemed
• AH Farms as a hands-on place to learn agriculture and practical produce skills
• making food education fun for kids through simple, memorable experiences
• Grow Green Match Day results, building an endowment, and why matching matters
• 29 blessing boxes and the easiest way families can stock them together
• Flint Hills Food Recovery milestones: 95,000 pounds recovered and 3,500 runs
• how the recovery app matches donors, agencies, and volunteers
We invite people to get involved, whether you have dollars to share or want to volunteer

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CFAs

We talk with Morningstar executive director and co-founder Donja McDonald about building a peer-run mental health community where safety and dignity come first. We dig into why a sober environment matters, how funding works for a consumer-run organization in Kansas, and what real acceptance looks like when stigma starts to loosen.
• relocating to a bigger space without increasing rent
• defining Morningstar as peer support led by people with lived experience of severe mental illness
• reducing power imbalance so members can focus on strengths
• prioritizing safety as the first requirement for healing trauma
• maintaining a clean and sober space to protect people in recovery
• supporting dual recovery through a 12-step group
• funding through Kansas Department of Aging and Disability Services and writing grants that tell an emotional story with data
• noticing improved community acceptance while naming ongoing stigma for schizophrenia spectrum conditions
• describing the Recovery Conference as a shame-free, energizing space for people with mental illness
morningstar.mentalhealth.org is the website.

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We catch up with Michelle Sink from Kansas Big Brothers Big Sisters on how the organization is rebuilding after the January fire while keeping mentorship at the center. We talk fundraising wins, a plan for a new community-minded space, and the urgent need for more Bigs so kids are not left waiting.
• progress toward a roughly $700,000 rebuild goal in the same neighborhood
• plans for a historically fitting exterior and open concept interior
• using the space for match events and offering free room to other nonprofits
• demolition and historical board steps shaping a year-plus timeline
• a potential $100,000 matching gift to help finish the capital campaign
• community generosity through Grow Green Match Day and civic groups
• the ongoing shortage of Bigs and what that means for the waiting list
• Tessa’s story and why stable matches matter
• upcoming fundraisers including golf events and a Studio 54 themed gala
• temporary office moves, relocation strain, and staying adaptable
you can reach out to me anytime and through our website at kansasbigs.org

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CFAs