We are incredibly honored to be a recipient of ArtsConnect Topeka's TopArts 2026 Grant!! This funding will go towards 'The Fabric of Healing'. The Fabric of Healing program will provide incarcerated women and those formerly incarcerated who are reintegrating into the community with the opportunity to express their experiences of trauma, recovery, and hope through individually painted quilt blocks that will be combined into a public work of art. The shared artistic expression will highlight resilience, belonging, and community connection. This project serves justice-involved women who are currently incarcerated in the Shawnee County Jail, as well as women who have been released and are working to change the trajectory of their lives through successful community reintegration.
This project will be implemented through the Intersection to Care as a part of our trauma-informed art program!
Rotarians and Community Members Fill the Room for a Transformative Human Trafficking Awareness Event
Local Rotarians played a meaningful role in the Human Trafficking Awareness Program at Washburn University, joining community members to support this important conversation. The event exceeded every expectation. The turnout, the compassion in the room, and the willingness to learn showed just how committed our community is to understanding this issue and taking action.
Lisa Phillips delivered a powerful and deeply moving message, and the response from attendees reminded us why awareness and education matter so much. We’re grateful for every Rotarian and community member who showed up, asked thoughtful questions, and helped make the evening such a success. IPPI will continue pushing forward, bringing people together, elevating survivor voices, and strengthening awareness across Kansas.
Rotarians and Community Members Fill the Room for a Transformative Human Trafficking Awareness Event
Local Rotarians came together with incredible energy and heart for our Rotary Day of Service, making a real impact right here in Topeka. Volunteers rolled up their sleeves to completely revamp the lawn of a women’s and children’s Oxford House, creating a cleaner, safer, and more welcoming space for the families who live there. At the same time, another team brought fresh color and care to the YWCA building through a successful painting project that brightened the environment for the population they serve. Both efforts were meaningful wins, and we are truly grateful to be able to give back to our community in such hands‑on, hopeful ways. This is what service looks like when people show up for one another.
Rotary International sent a team of seven journalists to Topeka to highlight our Intersection to Care (ITC) Rotary Global Grant. During their visit, they interviewed Rotarians and program participants inside the jail and in the community. They observed several ITC programs, including Movement and Meditation, the Colors of Strength art class, and KU technology class. They also interviewed women at an Oxford House and Mirror Work for Success.
Eighteen Rotarians and community partners came together to assemble 40 Rotary Cares kits for women leaving incarceration and for survivors of trafficking and exploitation. These kits provide essential clothing, health, and personal care items, meeting immediate needs for women starting over with very little.
CAAHT Rotary applied for three (3) District grants and are excited to announce that we have been awarded all three by the District 5710 Grant committee!!
Grant 1 - Rotary Cares kits for Intersection to Care (ITC) project women leaving incarceration. We will have $37,50 ($1250 from our club dues + $2,500 from District grant fund) to make 65 Care kits for women participating in the ITC program.
Grant 2 - Dignity Kit Global Grant for girls and women in Uganda. We are contributing $500 of our allocated grant money to Jennifer Montgomery's proposed project in Uganda. This project will purchase sewing machines, teach women and girls to sew reusable menstrual kits and incudes community education. Jennifer will be our speaker at a future meeting and tell us more about this project.
Grant 3 - "New Beginnings - Postpartum Care kits for Mothers." This project will provide necessary items for new mothers who lack the financial means to provide them. As part of this grant, we ask that members donate a small book appropriate for an infant. We plan to make 50 care kits.
Six Rotary Clubs in District 5710 collaborate on a District Grant
Often victims and survivors of human trafficking lack the clothing, caps and gloves they need to keep warm on these cold winter days. The Rotary Clubs of Lenexa, Leawood, Shawnee Mission, CAAHT, Topeka South, and Manhattan combined efforts on a District Grant project to make 160 Rotary Cares Winter kits for victims of human trafficking. The total grant was $10,000. Each kit contained a hoodie, sweatpants, stocking cap, scarf, gloves, socks, blanket, hand warmers, mylar blanket, deodorant, chap stick, and protein bars. Rotarians met during November and December and assembled kits at sites in Topeka, Shawnee Mission, and Manhattan. The Rotary Cares kits were then distributed to nonprofit agencies.
RC of CAAHT and Topeka South packed 56 kits and distributed them to the YWCA Day Center and the Intersection to care (ITC) Program in Topeka.
November 21 - 12:00 Noon - Adrianne Nunez, Willow Domestic Violence Center in Lawrence, KS, about Human Trafficking in NE Kansas!
Adrianne has been working in the public service sector since 2010, when she joined the Peace Corps. She has worked in the Domestic Violence field since 2015 and joined the Willow Domestic Violence Center in 2017 as the Human Trafficking Program Coordinator. Through her time at the Willow, she has held several positions in direct service as well as prevention and education. She is currently the Associate Director of External Affairs, where she manages the Willow’s communication, outreach, and prevention efforts.
For information on how to attend this meeting or join the Rotary Club of Community Action Against Human Trafficking please email President Sharon Sullivan at sharon.sullivan@washburn.edu.
