TOPEKA – The Kansas Volunteer Commission (KVC, a program of the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE, has awarded 27 organizations funding to support volunteer initiatives designed to respond to changing community needs created by the COVID-19 pandemic. Grant awards range between $500 to $1,000, and projects must take place prior to June 30, 2020.
The following organizations have been awarded funding to support this purpose:
·Barton County College-RSVP/Volunteers in Action of Central Kansas: $1,000
·Community Access Television of Salina Inc.: $1,000
·Douglas County CASA Inc.: $1,000
·Douglas County District Court- Citizen Review Board Volunteer Program: $1,000
·Family Promise of Greater Wichita Inc.: $1,000
·Flint Hills Volunteer Center: $898
·Four County Mental Health Center Inc. - RSVP Four County: $856
·Girl Scouts of Kansas Heartland: $1,000
·HumanKind Ministries Wichita Inc.: $1,000
·Kansas 4-H Youth Development: $1,000
·Kansas Big Brothers Big Sisters Serving Sedgwick County: $1,000
·Kansas Big Brothers Big Sisters Inc.: $1,000
·Kansas Humane Society: $998
·Main Street Ministries Inc.: $954
·Mercy & Truth Medical Missions: $1,000
·Neighbor to Neighbor Abilene: $918
·Offender/Victim Ministries Inc.: $1,000
·OZ Museum/Columbian Theatre Foundation Inc.: $1,000
·Sunflower CASA Project Inc.: $1,000
·Thrive Allen County: $1,000
·Topeka Unified School District 501: $1,000
·United Way of Douglas County: $1,000
·United Way of Franklin County Association: $1,000
·United Way of Greater Topeka: $1,000
·Derby USD 260 - USD 260 AmeriCorps Kansas Program: $1,000
·Wall Association: $1,000
·Wichita's Littlest Heroes: $930
Examples of how these grantees will use volunteer initiatives to address local needs include:
Organizing a food drop-off program for vulnerable populations.
Purchasing technology to support online youth mentoring efforts.
Securing vital background checks for volunteers who will be providing services to vulnerable populations affected by COVID-19.
The grant funding comes from the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) in partnership with the KVC. All projects will take place in the state of Kansas.