Children First: CEO Kansas Inc.

05/08/2026

05/06/2026

Walk for Humanity: please join our team on May 9th at Sedgwick County Park, at 9 am. Please consider making a donation at: https://fundraise.givesmart.com/vf/Walk26/team/Children1st

05/04/2026

Children 1st Career Fairs: Thank you to all the professionals who are sharing their careers with students

04/20/2026

Thank You Wichita State University Elevate Kansas Community Impact Mini Grant for helping us build our capacity for the Children 1st Pathway to Possibilities Summer Camp for students who are in foster care. The Children 1st Ambassadors were challenged with helping design the camp Wichita State University

04/14/2026

Thank you Delta Dental for our Smile Kits! You Rock!

04/10/2026

Thank you Kansas Health Foundation for sharing our story. Please check it out:

Children 1st, a Wichita-based social service nonprofit, recently launched a one-week summer camp for foster children in fifth through eighth grades.

04/03/2026

Thank you, Equity Bank: We had a great Staying Ahead event for low-resourced parents to learn about increasing their credit scores. Parents had graduated from Getting Ahead in a Just Gettin’ by World and were seeking more knowledge to enter the middle class. Equity Bank was available to provide information, answer questions, and open accounts.

03/27/2026

Congratulations Lauren Rust: presenter at national conference. Lauren stated, “The Growing School Gardens Conference, a bi-annual national conference for school gardeners, is an event for professionals to come together to get new ideas, connect with others, and learn from one another. This year, the conference was in Phoenix, Arizona and I got the pleasure of presenting an outdoor session to a group of 20 professionals. I presented "Self-Regulation and Mindfulness in the Garden" which was a workshop that helps others integrate self-regulation and mindfulness activities and strategies in the garden. It was a privilege to be able to share about how mental health and well-being combines with physical health, especially when gardening with students. I look forward to being able to continue to share this knowledge with other school gardening and education professionals in the future.”

03/20/2026

Kitchen remodel under way! Homeland Construction Services is doing a great job with the Woodland Kitchen Remodel and about half way through. Check out the before and current progress. Wow, this is really going to make a great teaching space.

03/04/2026

Enrollment Open: Summer Camp for middle school students in foster care- June 22- 26th. The Children 1st Mental Health Professionals are hosting a super-hero themed, free week-long summer camp with activities to build emotional resilience, learn healthy coping skills, and more. Breakfast and lunch included. Monday- Thursday, 7:30 am – 1 pm, Woodland United Methodist Church, 1100 W. 15th North, and Friday Family Night, 6:00 pm- 8:30 pm, Camp in Andover, dinner provided. Limited space, so reach out early. Contact [email protected].

02/25/2026

Seeking team captains: Inviting you to be a Team Captain for our upcoming Walk For Humanity the morning of May 9th, at Sedgwick County Park. Team Captains help recruit walkers, spread the word, and inspire others to support this important cause. We’ll provide everything you need. Kick off Training! Friday, March 27, 2026, at noon with provided lunch, at Woodland United Methodist Church, 1100 W. 15th North, park on north side. RSVP to [email protected].

Walk For Humanity, supports three incredible organizations making a big difference in the Wichita community, and includes 1) Cairn Health (Providing essential support for uninsured and underinsured individuals by helping with medicine and glasses), 2) Children First CEO Kansas Inc. (Empowering students to succeed in school while working with parents to enhance family stability) and 3) Care Portal (Connecting a network of caring individuals to meet the needs of kids and families in crisis). Together, we can create a meaningful impact while enjoying some fresh air and fun!