The Mount Carmel name has been synonymous with quality healthcare in Southeast Kansas for over 100 years. When the Mount Carmel Foundation ceased operations in 2024, it transferred its assets to the Community Foundation of Southeast Kansas to establish the Mount Carmel Foundation Legacy grant cycle. During the inaugural grant cycle in 2025, $214,000 was granted for healthcare projects in Southeast Kansas.

The Mount Carmel Foundation Legacy grant committee is proud to announce the awarding of this year’s grants, totaling $180,559 in support of 10 organizations in Southeast Kansas for 14 projects.

“The diversity of this year’s projects, from an autism clinic expansion to veteran suicide prevention, demonstrates the amazing impact the Mount Carmel legacy continues to have in Southeast Kansas,” said Devin Gorman, CFSEK Executive Director. “We are proud to partner with these great organizations as they work on the front lines to improve healthcare in our region and provide essential services to our community.”

2026 Mount Carmel Foundation Legacy Grant recipients:

• Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas – CHC/SEK’s Victim Services Program
• Families and Children Together Inc. – Tools for Tomorrow
• Family Resource Center, Inc. – Employee Health Helping Hand Fund
• Hospital District 1 Crawford County Foundation – Enhancing Cardiac Diagnostic Capacity at Girard Medical Center
• Inspire Health Foundation, Inc. – Pathways of Possibility: The Inspire Health Camp Scholarship Fund
• Integrated Behavioral Technologies, Inc – Southeast Kansas Autism Clinic Expansion & Stabilization
• Mercy Health Foundation Southwest Missouri/Kansas – Patient Assistance Program
• Mercy Health Foundation Southwest Missouri/Kansas – Cardiac Care Support: Diagnostics, Intervention, & Recovery
• Mercy Health Foundation Southwest Missouri/Kansas – Therapy Traction Table
• Mercy Health Foundation Southwest Missouri/Kansas – Patient Experience Grant
• Mercy Health Foundation Southwest Missouri/Kansas – Imaging Services
• Outside The Wire Veterans Foundation – Rural Veteran Suicide Prevention and Resilience Program
• Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Four States – Supporting Families in Care: Guest Suite Refresh Project
• SEK Interlocal 637 – Unlocking Potential: Empowering inclusive learning through adaptive equipment

CFSEK congratulates the recipients and thanks them for their work supporting healthcare projects in Southeast Kansas.

The Community Foundation of Southeast Kansas awarded over $2.8 million in grants from all foundation funds in 2025 and has facilitated over $28 million in total granting to Southeast Kansas since its inception in 2001. CFSEK serves the region by providing donors with various charitable interests and encouraging charitable giving, which addresses present and future needs in our area. The Columbus Area, Fort Scott Area, and Girard Area Community Foundations are affiliates of CFSEK. More information about CFSEK is available at SoutheastKansas.org.

PITTSBURG, Kan.—No one should have to face the aftermath of domestic or sexual violence alone—and thanks to expanded services from the Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas (CHC/SEK), help is now closer than ever.

The numbers behind these experiences are sobering. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly half of women and more than one in six men have experienced some form of sexual violence in their lifetimes. In rural communities, domestic violence and sexual assault occur at rates equal to or higher than in urban areas. Due to a lack of services and resources, the impact on rural survivors is often more severe. Many cases also go unreported, which means the true number of people affected is likely far greater than statistics can capture.

The ripple effects of these crimes touch every part of a survivor’s life, impacting their children, families, work, and sense of safety in the world. “As a result of these crimes, survivors’ mental health is often impacted, but there are frequently unmet medical needs too. Together, these can impact their everyday lives in so many ways,” said Keri Thompson, RN, CHC/SEK Forensic & Victim Services Program Manager. “Ensuring each person gets the compassionate care they need, when they need it, is vital to the healing process.”

Ensuring access to timely care is central to the mission of CHC/SEK, which has expanded its services and support for survivors of intimate partner violence, sexual assault, and stalking. CHC/SEK has created a dedicated new team—including a program manager and forensic nurse, nurse case manager, and community health worker—to support survivors and their children as they receive the care they need.

At CHC/SEK, care extends beyond medical treatment. The team will also coordinate wraparound services such as dental care, transportation, and behavioral health support—with trauma-informed care woven throughout. “People’s lives can be challenging. In addition to the ‘regular’ medical issues, a person’s past experiences and trauma shape their health and how they live in the world, including in healthcare settings,” Thompson said. “Trauma-informed care means recognizing these complexities, caring for the whole person, and being careful not to retraumatize them. Receiving trauma-informed healthcare can give survivors a sense of safety, control, and a chance to rebuild trust that’s often fractured by abuse.”

CHC/SEK is also working to strengthen the broader community safety net. Through partnerships with Safehouse Crisis Center, law enforcement, and other local organizations, a Community Response Team will be established to improve communication, identify gaps in services, and ensure that every survivor receives a consistent, compassionate response. Training opportunities for healthcare providers, law enforcement, and community partners will further support this unified approach.

“We know this is an issue that all communities face. Many of the people who walk through our clinic doors are survivors,” said Thompson. “No one should suffer in silence. We want survivors to know that we’re here to care for them and help them stay safe as they work through the process of healing. Their well-being is our top priority.”

These efforts are made possible by two grants awarded by the U.S. Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women and Office for Victims of Crime.

For more information, call the CHC/SEK Forensic & Victim Services Hotline at 620-240-5090.

For those who are experiencing domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking, local support is available 24/7/365 through Safehouse Crisis Center by calling 800-794-9148 or texting 620-670-0754.

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About Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas
The Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas (CHC/SEK) serves as a healthcare hub for communities in Kansas and Oklahoma. CHC/SEK delivers quality, integrated care to nearly 90,000 patients each year with a goal of improving health, sustaining rural communities, and providing purpose-driven work to 950 staff members. Beyond healthcare, CHC/SEK finds innovative ways to improve lives by focusing on education, housing, and transportation. Regardless of income or insurance status, CHC/SEK ensures everyone receives the care they need. For more information, visit chcsek.org.

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CFSEK Celebrates 25^th Anniversary

The Community Foundation of Southeast Kansas is celebrating its 25^th anniversary throughout 2026. This release is the first part of CFSEK’s new story series honoring the 25-year history of the organization, while also looking ahead to the next 25 years of positive impact in Southeast Kansas.

Wednesday, February 28^th, 2001, was a day of philanthropic beginnings in Southeast Kansas that would create a positive impact for decades to come, even if the 23 community leaders present didn’t fully realize it at the time. That afternoon at Crestwood Country Club, the Pittsburg Area Community Foundation was founded to serve the people of the Pittsburg area.

Growing quickly, in May of 2005, it was determined that the name should be changed to the Community Foundation of Southeast Kansas because the organization was already serving communities outside of Pittsburg and Crawford County. What started as a goal of serving people in one community quickly grew into a dream of helping people throughout the entire Southeast Kansas region.

“It’s incredible to see how a simple goal set by a small group of community leaders blossomed into a regional powerhouse for good,” said CFSEK Executive Director Devin Gorman. “Over the last 25 years, CFSEK has become the bridge between passionate donors and the most pressing needs of our communities, proving that when Southeast Kansans pull together, we can do incredible things. ”

In the 25 years since CFSEK’s founding, more than $28 million has been reinvested directly back into Southeast Kansas to causes and projects that help make our corner of the state a great place to call home!

“The $28 million we’ve granted since 2001 represents more than just a number; it represents new programs and services, new community amenities, vital healthcare support, thousands of student scholarships, critical support for our local nonprofits, and so much more. Past leaders of this organization have succeeded in growing from a single office into a regional catalyst for change that touches every corner of Southeast Kansas,” said Gorman.

CFSEK has seen many changes over the past 25 years. The Foundation’s physical growth mirrors its community impact—moving from a single, borrowed office at the Pittsburg Area Chamber of Commerce to its current home in the Commerce Bank building, and expanding from a lone part-time employee to a dedicated full-time staff of six. Through it all, the goal has stayed the same: benefiting the common good and the quality of life in Southeast Kansas.

“Our first quarter-century was about building a foundation of trust and generosity that would be a permanent resource for our region. The next 25 years will be about building on that legacy—ensuring that Southeast Kansas remains a vibrant, thriving place to call home for future generations,” said Gorman.

The Community Foundation of Southeast Kansas awarded over $2.8 million in grants from all foundation funds in 2025 and has facilitated over $28 million in total granting to Southeast Kansas since its inception in 2001. CFSEK serves the region by providing donors with various charitable interests and encouraging charitable giving, which addresses present and future needs in our area. The Columbus Area, Fort Scott Area, and Girard Area Community Foundations are affiliates of CFSEK. More information about CFSEK is available at SoutheastKansas.org.