03/25/2024
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Neighbor to Neighbor Abilene receives funds to grow and prosper.
Neighbor to Neighbor Abilene awarded the Sunflower Foundation Grant
Abilene, KS. Neighbor to Neighbor Abilene recently received a $25,000 capacity building grant from Sunflower Foundation through an initiative to support the core operating capacities of nonprofit organizations across the state that are working to meet the critical health needs of their communities. This Request for Proposals (RFP) process was one of the most competitive in the foundation’s history, attracting almost 300 applications.
Neighbor to Neighbor Abilene was one of 65 organizations to receive a Sunflower Foundation capacity building grant. These grants are designed to provide nonprofits’ needed flexibility and the necessary time to determine how they might strengthen their internal capacity to realize their missions, better serve their communities, and bolster their impact. The grant program also provides Neighbor to Neighbor Abilene with opportunities to attend high-caliber learning collaboratives and skill-building workshops supported by Sunflower.
“Everything we do at Neighbor to Neighbor Abilene is to support our mission and this grant will be another step forward in building the foundation that will allow us to continue growing and educating our staff and volunteers” stated by Sarah Vidler, Marketing Manager with Neighbor to Neighbor Abilene.
This grant funding opportunity focused specifically on organizations serving diverse populations and those that provide a wide range of services, including health care, housing supports, community safety, economic development, education, food security, social cohesion, social justice, and transportation. Applicant organizations were prioritized to receive funds based on need, the organization’s focus on underserved communities, and those organizations with more limited access to resources.
“Nonprofits are the lifeline of our communities,” said Sunflower Foundation President and CEO Billie Hall. “We are honored to call these organizations partners in our mission to improve the health and wellbeing of all Kansans and look forward to working with them in the future.”
A diverse team of experts representing the fields of public health, mental health, economic and rural development, health care, health equity, and aging, among others, provided in-depth reviews of each application. To learn more about the capacity building program and see a full list of this year’s grantees, go to the Capacity Building Grants web page.
Neighbor to Neighbor Abilene
Our mission is to provide individuals and families at any stage of adult life with opportunities and tools to enhance the quality of life for their household. Everything we do to support our community has our mission at its core. We offer a variety of services onsite and offsite. From classes to enhance a neighbor’s life skills to cupboards filled with fresh produce and dry goods that are free for the taking to anyone in need on our porch, our mission stays the driving force.
The onsite services we offer include life skills classes, support groups, a child playroom that can be utilized with a parent present, prepared package meals and personal care services such as free use of our laundry area and a clean place to shower. We also offer free WIFI, a quiet workspace, a sewing room and much more.
The offsite services include travel assistance, vouchers for haircuts, educational classes, and prepared meal delivery.
Everyone is welcome at Neighbor to Neighbor Abilene no matter their beliefs, lifestyle, race, gender, or religion. We are one community.
Disc golfers play to donate food, money
Feb 20, 2024, Abilene Reflector
Fifty-four disc golfers spent their Sunday afternoon at Brown Memorial Park participating in the Kansas Disc Golf Association Food Drive.
Clubs across Kansas organize drives locally in the winter to donate food and money to their local non-profits. The Wild Bill Hickok Disc Golf Club hosted the food drive Jan. 18, and raised $1,948.50 and 178 canned goods for Neighbor to Neighbor Abilene.
Entrants had to pay $25 and were encouraged to donate food to play in a 24-hole course in the park and get a free lunch. They played the 24 holes in around three hours. Laughlin said the club added six holes to Brown Memorial Park’s 18-hole course to give players more variety.
Laughlin said Sunday was the third time the club has hosted a food drive at Brown Memorial Park. Last year they raised over $1,500.
The club hosted two other drives in January. One was in Herington for Family Resource Exchange, where they raised $1,816 and 146 food items. The other was in Chapman for Clover Cabinet, raising $1,300.
For more about the Wild Bill Hickok Disc Golf Club, go to their Facebook group page titled “Wild Bill Disc Golf Club.”
“We’re out here on a regular basis,” Laughlin said, “Facebook is a great way to see what we have going on… We’re trying to be a consistent disc golf presence in the county year-round.”
