Living Our Mission
The central purpose of the Manhattan Community Health Foundation is to assist our community hospital in fulfilling its mission.
That mission calls us to “commit ourselves to serving all persons with special attention to those who are poor and vulnerable and to provide holistic care which sustains and improves the health of individuals and communities.” Current examples include the foundation providing transportation assistance to patients without a ride home and the Ascension Dispensary of Hope to make free medicines to those in our community without medicine insurance.
Funding the Flint Hills Community Care Team (FHCCT) is a direct investment in the hospital’s core values—it is an “action” that helps build a more compassionate and just society for our neighbors in need.
Our Mission in Action: The FHCCT Model
The FHCCT provides person-centered, holistic care to the most vulnerable members of our community. This is not just about physical health. The FHCCT’s “wrap-around” model addresses the whole person by focusing on the social determinants of health, including safe and affordable housing, reliable transportation, food, and health insurance.
The FHCCT is a powerful coalition of approximately 30 community organizations—including the hospital, Pawnee Mental Health Services, and the Riley County Health Department—all working together. This collaborative model ensures clients’ needs are met efficiently and prevents them from falling through the cracks.
The Need: Serving Our Most Vulnerable
The FHCCT serves individuals facing complex, overlapping challenges. In 2025, the team served 68 individuals. This program is the community’s response for those navigating significant barriers, including:
- Housing insecurity and homelessness
- Inadequate local mental health and substance use treatment options
- Financial insecurity from low-wage jobs
- Lack of income-based housing
Proven Impact: Building a Healthier Community
The FHCCT’s coordinated model “sustains and improves the health of… communities” with specific, positive outcomes:
- Fewer repeat visits to the hospital emergency room.
- Fewer repeat calls to Riley County Emergency Medical Services, reducing taxpayer cost.
- Clients’ needs are met sooner than if they were trying to navigate the complex health and social service system on their own.
- Social service agencies are more efficient and work from the same “playbook”.
Funding Goal: A Stable Foundation for Holistic Care
The single most critical element for the FHCCT’s success is a part-time Care Team Coordinator. This position provides essential case management and administrative support, acting as the “glue” that holds the 30-partner coalition together.
The 2026 Crystal Gala will provide $60,000 to fund this position for three years ($20,000 per year). Your sponsorship provides the stability this proven, mission-driven program needs to continue its holistic work.
From Our Partners on the Front Lines
“The Flint Hills Community Care Team is a truly invaluable resource for Manhattan. I don’t think people realize how rare this kind of interdisciplinary, wrap-around community support is. The CCT gathers all of Manhattan’s most vital services together in one room to conference and solve complex cases together, helping to make sure that fewer people fall through the cracks. This team’s work puts Manhattan at the leading edge of social service intervention.”
— Emily Wagner, Manhattan Emergency Shelter, Inc.
“Manhattan is supported by several established and substantial providers with a long history of offering support. However, some scenarios still “fall through the cracks” or are so complex that they require more than one provider. The primary strength of the Flint Hills Community Care Team is that all the necessary providers in the community collaborate directly to address these complex situations and find solutions.”
— Scott Voos, Be Able Community
“The role of the Flint Hills Community Care Team is critical in providing comprehensive wrap-around care for clients in the Manhattan community. The collaboration piece the organization brings to client care makes a difference in the positive outcome of the assistance provided by various agencies. This coordinated approach lets the client know that they are cared for and valued by their community.”
— Beth Klug, Shepherd’s Crossing
“As the Assistant Director of Riley County EMS, I can attest to the vital role the Flint Hills Community Care Team plays in supporting our most vulnerable patients. Our EMS crews frequently respond to individuals whose primary challenges stem not only from medical conditions, but also from barriers to accessing housing, food, mental health, and other essential social services. The Care Team Coordinator serves as the critical link between these patients and the community resources they need to achieve stability and long-term wellness. Through this partnership, patients referred by EMS received timely, coordinated support that reduces repeat 911 calls, emergency department utilization, and hospital readmissions. Continued funding for the coordinator position is essential to maintaining this proven system of collaboration, one that transforms emergency encounters into opportunities for sustained quality of life improvement and more efficient use of community resources.”
— Joshua Gering, Riley County EMS