The views and opinions expressed in this editorial article are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of Salina Post or Eagle Media. The editorial is intended to stimulate critical thinking and debate on issues of public interest and should be read with an open mind. Readers are encouraged to consider multiple sources of information and to form their own informed opinions.
By: BARB YOUNG
President of North Salina Community Development
After more than 30 years working, volunteering, and building partnerships in Salina, I’ve learned one thing for certain: strong communities don’t happen by accident. They’re built through collaboration, persistence, and a willingness to listen to neighbors who also live and work here every day. As president of North Salina Community Development, I’ve seen firsthand both the challenges and the potential in our neighborhoods, especially in areas that have too often been overlooked.
That’s why the recent Prairie Talks conversation in Salina stood out to me. It brought together neighbors, local leaders, and community organizations to talk openly about affordability, housing, the cost of living, and future development in our region.
What we heard that evening reflected what many of us see every day. Families are working hard but still struggling to keep up with rising housing costs. Access to affordable, healthy food remains a challenge for some neighborhoods, and in parts of our community, economic opportunities don’t always reach the people who need them most. For example, North Salina is a food desert characterized by low to moderate-income families having limited access to a supermarket, with most of the area more than a mile away from a grocery store. Others from Ashby House, Salina Emergency Aid-Food Bank, Central KS Mental Health, United Way, and the USD 305 Adult Education programs also elaborated on the homeless population, food insecurity, mental health, the shortage of child care, and the need for adult education programs.
These aren’t abstract issues. They’re about whether families can stay in their homes, whether children have access to nutritious food, and whether neighborhoods have the opportunity to grow and thrive. When businesses, nonprofits, volunteers, and city leaders work side by side to invest in a shared vision, we’ve seen what’s possible. Progress doesn’t happen overnight, but it does happen when communities stay committed.
All the nonprofits shared their solutions, which included: North Salina Community Development, improving access and updating amenities for a North Salina community garden; Ashby House, working toward additional shelter space and transitional housing updates; Salina Emergency Aid-Food Bank, their community garden success and reclaiming 560,000 lbs of food; Central KS Mental Health, becoming embedded with the Salina Police Department and now a certified behavioral health clinic; United Way, expanding resources available to child care providers to increase access; and Salina Adult Education, being involved with HR directors and growing community outreach to reach more students.
These conversations need to continue, not just in Salina, but across Kansas. Every community deserves the opportunity to be heard and to shape its own future and I encourage our federal officials to participate in future events. Reducing the cost of living and growing our community are challenges we can meet, but only if we meet them together. That starts with pulling up a chair and listening, to build stronger communities for the next generation.
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