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Newsletter
May 2026 - 2nd Quarter
| | Building Connections and Providing Services in East Central Kansas | | Note from Crystal Anderson, CEO | |
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May is always an important month for ECKAN as we celebrate Community Action Awareness Month. This year, it’s especially meaningful as we mark 60 years of serving our neighbors.
We see families facing tough situations every day—rising costs, housing challenges, and uncertainty about what comes next. In response, our team shows up—connecting people to resources, helping stabilize their situations, and working toward real, lasting change.
The impact of that work isn’t just numbers in a report. It’s families finding safe, stable housing. It’s homes becoming healthier and more affordable. It’s parents reaching goals they once thought were out of reach. That’s the kind of progress that keeps communities moving forward.
As ECKAN celebrates 60 years, I’m proud of what we’ve built together—with the support of our staff, volunteers, community partners, and the individuals and families we serve—and all those who have been part of this work over the years. As we look ahead, we know the challenges aren’t going away—and neither are we. In many ways, we’re just getting started.
As part of this 60th year, we’ve launched our $60 for 60 Years campaign—a simple way to help move this work forward. Your support allows us to keep meeting real needs and creating lasting change in our communities.
Thank you for being part of this work—and for continuing to support ECKAN's mission.
Crystal Anderson, CEO
| | | | Happy 60th Anniversary ECKAN | |
ECKAN 1st Quarter Impacts
January to March 2026
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- Provided weatherization services to 72 households
- Used $1,018,922.36 from 5 funding resources
- Average invested to improve energy efficiency per home $14,151.70
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- ECKAN has 10 open positions.
- On average, roles are filled in 17-20 days.
- Turnover rate: 14.4%
- 1 New Head Start Employee
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- Children Served: Head Start - 194 | Early Head Start - 154
- Volunteer Hours: 9,197
- Donations: $22,877
- Parent Goals Achieved: 80% of 252 families have completed their goals. (Including buying a car, better housing, going back to school, and budgeting)
- The current waitlist is 154 for all options
- Meals served
Breakfast: 6,532
Lunch: 6,522
Snack: 1,503
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- Unduplicated Individuals Served: 1,105
- Unduplicated Households Served: 375
- Pounds of Food and Retail Recovered: 144,812
- CSBG Expenditure on Direct Service: $69,171.18
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- Unduplicated Active Vouchers: 204
- Quarterly Housing Assistance Payments (HAP): $263,089
- Current Households on Waitlist: 488
- Active Housing Choice Voucher Landlords: 80
- Owned ECKAN Rentals: 53
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- 95.26% of ECKAN's agency expenses went directly to program services
- 4.74% of ECKAN's agency expenses were for general administration
| | Jim and Sandy Gillespie are raising their large family in their 3,300 square foot older home in Paola Kansas. The Gillespie’s had been putting their own hard work, sweat, and equity into updating their home to save on energy bills. Their home would not maintain a comfortable and affordable temperature. They said, “Our home was falling down around us, and we had no resources to repair any of it”. Some of the audit approved and health & safety measures that were installed in their home included a furnace with ductwork, A/C unit, a new roof, attic insulation, new smoke and CO detectors, along with some air sealing measures. ECKAN Weatherization was able to utilize many funding streams to make these improvements possible, including LIEAP, IIJA, and utility funding. | | In a heartfelt thank you card, Jim and Sandy each wrote a separate note on the inside about their gratitude and thankfulness to all who helped with the improvements on their home from the office staff to inspectors to the crews who performed the work. They mentioned they no longer have drafts, and their home maintains a comfortable temperature and their utility bill decreased by $40 in the first month. They also commented that this was a simple process with huge benefits, but the waiting list is long, so get in when you can! Their final thought in their card was “We have a much warmer and snug home thanks to ECKAN!” | | |
When an older couple in Franklin County faced an unexpected crisis, ECKAN was there to help them move from uncertainty to stability.
After their vehicle broke down, the couple, ages 84 and 74, found themselves staying in a local motel with funds to cover only a few nights. Motel staff connected them to support, and ECKAN quickly partnered with Hope House to respond. Together, staff met with the couple, confirmed their situation, and coordinated immediate assistance to extend their stay and ensure their safety.
That same day, ECKAN began working toward a long-term solution. Within days, stable housing was secured, and the couple moved into their new apartment on January 29, 2026.
ECKAN continued to walk alongside them through the transition. Staff coordinated essential furnishings through community partnerships so their new space felt like home from day one. They also connected the household with the Agency on Aging to establish Meals on Wheels, helping reduce financial strain and support their ongoing health and well-being.
This is what it means to connect neighbors to hope. Through strong local partnerships and a shared commitment to care, ECKAN helped ensure this couple not only had a place to stay, but a place to call home.
| | Meet the Faces of ECKAN | | For seven years, Juana Saavedra has served as a Lead Teacher at ECKAN, making a positive impact in each child’s life and helping set the foundation for future educational success. Guided by the value of collaboration, Juana brings the community into the classroom, encouraging shared support for children and families. Her dedication to working together for the well-being of others reflects ECKAN’s mission in action every day. | | | | | For the past 10 months, Honorina Robinson has been serving as a Lead Teacher in Douglas County, creating a welcoming and nurturing classroom where care, connection, and meaningful learning go hand in hand. Through close collaboration with families and colleagues, Honorina helps ensure students and their families have the support and resources they need to succeed. Guided by the value of collaboration, Honorina’s commitment to teamwork and building strong relationships reflects the heart of ECKAN’s work in the community. | | For nearly three years, Kathirine West has served as a Family Educator at ECKAN, changing children’s and families’ lives one visit at a time by reminding them they are seen, valued, and never alone. Guided by empathy and respect, Kathirine offers compassionate, judgment-free support while helping families recognize new possibilities and pathways forward. Her dedication to encouraging growth, confidence, and lasting change reflects ECKAN’s commitment to building stronger families and communities. | | | | | For nearly nine years, Bobby Simms has served as a QCI Inspector at ECKAN, helping clients reduce utility costs through weatherization while improving the health and safety of their homes. Guided by empathy, Bobby brings a personal understanding of hardship to his work, meeting clients where they are and providing support with compassion and respect. His commitment to helping others create safer, more stable living environments reflects the heart of ECKAN’s mission. | | For nearly seven years, Heather Carver has served as the Coffey County Human Services Coordinator at ECKAN, providing support with respect, dignity, and compassion. Committed to ensuring every individual feels heard, understood, and valued, Heather creates a calm and welcoming environment where people can share their challenges. Guided by empathy, she listens with care and connects individuals and families to the services that best meet their needs, reflecting ECKAN’s mission in every interaction. | | | ECKAN's Partnerships in the Community | | All Weather Control is a family owned and operated heating and cooling business that has been serving the greater Kansas City area since 1989. They take pride in their workmanship and give individual attention to all their customers’ needs. They install only quality equipment that is safe and efficient, saving customers money on utilities and keeping their family comfortable year-round. They have contributed as a Weatherization contractor for many years. They share in ECKAN’s mission of building connections and helping ECKAN provide program services to support the stability, health, and engagement of low-income individuals and families in our service area. | | | Karry Reeves, Resource Specialist with the Kansas Department for Children and Families | |
For more than three years, Karry Reeves, a TEFAP and Resource Specialist with the Department for Children and Families, has made the hour drive to visit our Coffey County Community Center one to two times each month. Karry provides valuable support to individuals seeking assistance with DCF programs such as LIEAP, TANF, childcare, and Medicaid. She also helps customers navigate applications and paperwork, easing what can feel like a frustrating, overwhelming process.
In addition to her work in Coffey County, Karry has also extended her support to Garnett, assisting customers in Anderson County.

We are incredibly grateful for our partnership with Karry and the Department for Children and Families. Collaborations like this play a vital role in strengthening our communities and supporting those we serve.
| | Weatherization is moving at the end of 2026 - beginning of 2027 to their new office space in Downtown Ottawa. | | Community Gardens - Plots Available Now! | | | | |
Community Gardens Now Open for the Season
Garden season is here, and ECKAN’s Ottawa Community Garden is underway. This program offers individuals and families the opportunity to grow fresh produce, build skills, and stay connected locally.
Participants agree to care for their plot and share a portion of their harvest to support ECKAN’s food programs.
Season runs April 1 through October 1.

To apply, visit eckan.org or contact ECKAN at info@eckan.org or 785-242-7450.
| | ECKAN is seeking a qualified consultant or firm to support the development of our next Strategic Plan. | | | Weatherization will be procuring pricing to perform weatherization services on a 100-unit multi-family complex in Lawrence in May! | | Your Opportunity to Make an Impact | | For 60 years, ECKAN has taken action to provide hope, strengthen communities, and change lives. Celebrate this milestone with a $60 gift to help expand our impact. | | | | |
