The Good Neighbor Action Team (GNAT) helps the Fort Scott community in hands-on projects and is gearing up for this year’s projects.
They are planning for 2026, and are asking the community to let them know of potential projects.
They cannot do roofs, but can clear yard debris and help with light carpentry needs, with curb appeal as the goal.
If you have a larger project, they can assist with grant applications. Please send requests or ideas to Craig Campbell at 620.224.0167.
“We help people where they are overwhelmed, financially or physically,” said Campbell, a member of GNAT. “Our main mission focuses on helping people who are having trouble maintaining their properties. We do things like you would help a neighbor with.”
“We focus on the elderly and financially distressed, like single parents or veterans, or those with a physical disability, to do the work themselves,” he said.
“We do it whether someone has the ability to pay or not,” he said.
“We bring the people and the materials to get the job done.”
The group receives grants and donations to help with the materials, and recently received a Fort Scott Area Community Foundation Grant. “We have a person who helps with the grants, Jara Martin.”
“We have been successful in getting grants to help with roofs and heating/cooling. We coordinate house painting,” he said.
The GNAT examines the project for need and scopes it to determine how many volunteers are needed.
Then the team asks for volunteers to help with the projects through local organizations and churches.
Last year, the Fort Scott Community College softball women helped paint a house and got the job done in one afternoon, he said.
In recent years they have been building many wheelchair ramps.
“We were building a wheelchair ramp about once a week, but that has gotten slower,” he said.
“As soon as the weather is better, we will paint some houses. We do yard clean-up, life after a storm. Winter can knock branches down.”
Current GNAT members are Ed Allen, Campbell, Bailey Lyons, Lindsay Madison, Martin, Jake Province, C.J. Robison, Gayle Teter, and Don Tucker.
