Foundation Journal

Small nonprofits struggle with maintaining their programs and services on a number of levels, and sometimes the seemingly huge problems, like a broken furnace, remind workers and staff that some problems are easy to solve. The Kansas City Indian Center , until recently named the Heart of America Indian Center, is no different. The organization delivers important social services to clients, yet holds a vision to expand its reach into the Native American community. On Friday, January 14, 2011, while completing a service project supported by Harvesters food bank in Kansas City, I arrived to learn that their furnace had been replaced after a worker discovered high levels of carbon monoxide. The center was back in stride, not only after a furnace replacement, but also after recent staff turnover. New executive director Steve Jackson took time out of his schedule to describe changes needed to the phone and voice mail systems. The organization recently hired Gayl Edmunds, a new counselor w...

During the agency conference I had the good fortune to share lunch with several people who coordinated food programs within their organizations. The food programs fulfill a range of public needs, like at Southside First Baptist Church on east 50th street, where a mother and daughter worked. Another woman worked for Nova Center. They discussed how the old public school nearby would be a great location for a service organization, but had become dilapidated over time, thus unable to be affordably rehabbed. Another woman with United Services in Independence noted how they partner with a variety of organizations such as Community Services League, Catholic Charities, and St. Mary's to share resources to meet clients' utility assistance needs. Agencies seem to be all about cooperation, not competition, when serving working poor people in their communities.