Champions are leaders in their communities (neighborhoods, faith communities, peer groups, social organizations, etc.) who help identify ways to raise awareness about trauma and promote community healing. Recruited through community forums, champions are selected through an application process. and they receive a stipend for their work.

Their roles and expectations include:

• Host 1 meeting / month to educate community members about trauma and resilience; listen to community members to learn how they define trauma and resilience; identify barriers to resilience
• Lead Community Needs and Solutions Projects
• Attend monthly meetings with Alive & Thrive Director
• Track and record number of meetings held, number of contacts with individuals/ groups, identity of groups
• Document information gathered from community
• Provide data to aid mapping process
• Work with Community Health Improvement Plan teams (4 Champions)

Kids Against Hate Unity Walk & Rally

Champion: Nevaeh Thomas

Description: The Kids Against Hate Unity Walk & Rally was held September 26, 2020, to help the community heal after a racist assault on Nevaeh Thomas. Nevaeh organized the walk with help from Alive & Thrive and its partners.

Impact: More than 50 people attended the rally.

Status:  Completed.

How to Get Involved: 

One Community Jiujitsu

Champion: Ray Freeman

Description: One Community Jiujitsu uses the martial art of Jiujitsu to help kids and their families build strength and resilience in their lives, foster healthy relationships, and teach emotional regulation. Alive & Thrive supported this project by providing funds to purchase exercise mats for practicing Jiujitsu.

Impact: One Community Jiujitsu provides martial arts training to families and children every month.  Classes available online.

Status:  Ongoing.

How to Get Involved: 

Empowering the Women of Wyandotte

Champion: LaTeisha Williams

Description: Empowering the Women of Wyandotte was an all-day workshop designed to engage women about how trauma affects them and their communities, and about what resilience strategies they can adopt to begin healing. Alive & Thrive supported the costs associated with the workshop.

Impact: An educational workshop about trauma and how trauma impacts black women in Wyandotte County, specifically.  X women attended the workshop and learned strategies they can adopt to begin healing from trauma and to help others in the community.

Status:  Ongoing.

How to Get Involved: 

Latino Women of Wyandotte

Champions: Imelda Castillo, Sandra Cánales, Alejandra Alatorre, Eugenia de la Rosa, Algee Gonzalez and Gabriela Gonzalez 

Description:  Latino Women of Wyandotte meet the needs of homebound senior residents, providing them with information and resources to help them live as healthfully as possible at home. They also organized the La Kermes: Uniting Cultures event in August 2021, designed to celebrate our community’s diversity with neighbors and friends from all backgrounds.

Alive & Thrive provided funds to help with the supplies needed for this event and secure independent, local contractors like Merca who provided tents, chairs, a mechanical bull along with a cotton candy machine. Additional services and supplies for the senior residents such as haircuts, outings, lawn care, house cleaning supplies, and gas for transportation were provided.

Impact:  Latino Women of Wyandotte have served X households of senior residents. The La Kermes event impact involved coordinating with other organizations such as Central Avenue Betterment Association (CABA) and other local vendors to promote community engagement.  In addition, addressing the mental health needs of the senior community impacted by COVID and needing to self-isolate for safety was a successful takeaway. 

Status:  Ongoing.

How to Get Involved: