A total of $57,500 GRANTS AWARDED IN 2021

 #BeMoreLikeClaire is thrilled to announce a total of $57,500 in grant awards to eight non-profit organizations in 2021.

$17,500 GRANTS AWARDED
​IN 2021 Fall GRANT CYCLE 

$17,500 in community grants which will provide new mentoring opportunities, prevent sexual assault and feed people who are hungry in Douglas County.

In its second round of community grants in 2021, #BeMoreLikeClaire is supporting three projects from Lawrence organizations: funding five new mentoring matches through Kansas Big Brothers Big Sisters, reinvigorating the visibility of The Sexual Trauma and Abuse Center’s SafeBar Alliance program and reopening the Lawrence Interdenominational Kitchen’s dining room to provide hot, sit-down meals to those who are hungry and lonely.

The projects strongly align with #BeMoreLikeClaire’s core principles that all people should have access to healthy food, comprehensive health care, and safe and affordable housing; and that positive role models and mentors transform lives, relationships should be free from cruelty, and the earth should be protected and respected.

“The need was so great this year as we continued to feel the effects of the pandemic. Kids were isolated, people felt lonely, and jobs were uncertain while food insecurity grew. There was an increase in abusive and uncivilized behavior. We wanted to do what we could to help, so we made some adjustments and offered support to these three projects,” said Shannon VanLandingham, executive director of #BeMoreLikeClaire.  ​



​Big Brothers Big Sisters (KSBBBS)
KSBBBS received $7,500 to cover the cost of five new Big Sister-Little Sister mentoring matches in Douglas County, along with one year’s worth of professional case-managed support and supervision that are required for these matches. The evidence-based, one-to-one mentoring program matches vulnerable youth (Littles) ages 5 to 17 with carefully screened, caring adult volunteers (Bigs). One-to-one mentoring helps children and teens navigate difficult life circumstances and supports the critical emotional and social development needed to help build resilience and promote mental health and wellness. A Big is a positive role model who provides constant support, reassurance, teaching, and guidance – all of which contribute to the overall well-being and health of a young person.

​The Sexual Trauma
​ and Abuse Care Center
The Sexual Trauma and Abuse Care Center received $5,000 to reinvigorate the visibility of its SafeBar Alliance program. Founded in 2010, the program educates bar staff on predatory behavior in bar settings and gives staff the tools to intervene safely. The grant would allow The Care Center to purchase promotional items such as coasters, can coolers, signage and training materials. Visible messaging is critical to the success of the program, which encourages the community to work together to end dangerous situations in bars and emphasizes the important role of bystander intervention. Through the printed materials and branded merchandise, more bars will learn about the program and request training and more individuals will discover The Care Center’s critical victim support services.


Lawrence Interdenominational Kitchen (LINK)
LINK received $5,000 to assist in reopening its dining room, which provides hot, sit down meals to those who need them. Due to COVID, LINK closed down its dining room and moved to serving to-go meals. The funding will allow LINK to purchase sanitation equipment and disposable dishes so it can reopen, which will provide socialization that so many in the community have missed over the past year. The grant would also allow LINK to reduce plastic in the environment by moving to disposable, biodegradable paper products to serve meals, hire a part-time custodian to help with sanitation efforts, supply filters for air purifiers and personal protective equipment for staff and volunteers. LINK serves 60 to 80 home-cooked, nutritious meals to anyone, no questions asked, four times a week in a safe and welcoming environment.

$40,000 Grants AWARDED
​in 2021 First Grant cycle 

The funds will support projects that are working to respond to child abuse, provide healthy foods to women fighting addiction, support breastfeeding in low-income and marginalized communities, prevent gender-based violence and improve birth outcomes for BIWOC mothers and their babies.              

Funding will go to three Lawrence, Kansas-based projects: the Children’s Advocacy Center of Douglas County, the Community Mercantile Education Foundation’s Growing Food Growing Hope garden at First Step, and Success by 6 Coalition of Douglas County’s Doula Project for BIWOC mothers. Awards will also go to Jana’s Campaign for a state-wide program to prevent gender-based violence in faith-based communities and to Flourish, Inc., a non-profit organization based in Bloomington, Indiana, that works to connect the community to free, high-quality breast-feeding support and education.

“We are so excited to announce the first grants for 2021.​​ Our mission is to carry on Claire's legacy by cultivating the power of collective generosity so that all may live a safe and healthy life. Our donors give what they can, and together they make a transformative difference in many lives,” said Shannon VanLandingham, Claire’s mother and executive director of #BeMoreLikeClaire. “These projects align with our Guiding Principles, which include all people having access to healthy food, comprehensive health care, safe and affordable housing, role models and mentors, relationships free from cruelty, and protecting the earth. It is an honor to support these wonderful organizations as they work toward a world where all may live a safe and healthy life.”


​Children's Advocacy Center
​Douglas County, KansaS
​#BeMoreLikeClaire will grant $15,000 to the Children's Advocacy Center (CAC), a comprehensive, child-focused program that provides an immediate and compassionate response to a child’s outcry of abuse. The CAC will create a neutral, child-friendly setting to bring multidisciplinary professionals involved in the investigation and treatment of child abuse to the child and family to work in a collaborative approach that results in effective, efficient and child-centered casework. The team will share information and develop coordinated strategies to approach each case- always putting the needs of the child victim first. #BeMoreLikeClaire’s contribution will help cover a portion of the executive director position.
​


Prevention of
​Gender-Based Violence
​in Faith-Based Communities
Jana’s Campaign was awarded $10,000 to conduct a gender-based violence prevention educational training program in faith communities throughout Kansas. Jana’s Campaign was formed in honor of the late Jana Mackey, a University of Kansas law student, and works to provide quality educational programming that prevents gender and relationship violence. Working through faith-based communities in Kansas, the project aims to raise awareness of gender and relationship violence, reduce risk factors while supporting protective measures, engage bystanders, promote healthy and respectful relationships, and encourage the development of new social norms. The funding will be used for training faith leaders and faith communities to understand the use of power and control in violent relationships, types of abuse, domestic and sexual violence dynamics, myths and misconceptions, and understanding abuser behaviors.


​Growing Food Growing
​Hope Garden
​Lawrence, Kansas
The Community Mercantile Education Foundation (CMEF) was awarded $7,800 for its Growing Food Growing Hope Garden on the grounds of First Step at Lake View, a residential addiction treatment center for women and their children. The mission of CMEF is to nourish and inspire personal wellbeing, strengthen community connections, and support sustainable, local food systems. The mission is fulfilled by creating beautiful and productive gardens, developing youth leaders, and using food as a transformative path to health. The 5,000-square-foot garden is maintained by six youth leaders and two adult supervisors. Along with providing a calm and healing environment for the residents and inspiring healthy habits, the garden provides fresh, sustainable produce that is used in the First Step kitchen. By engaging in growing their own food, the residents physically support their work to become whole, healthy women. Contributions from #BeMoreLikeClaire will go toward purchasing plants, seeds and mulch for the 2021 growing season, signage for the garden, an electric weed eater and financial support for student gardeners. 


​Doula Project for
​BIWOC Mothers
​Lawrence, KansaS
​Success By 6 Coalition of Douglas County will receive $5,000 for its project to develop a network of Black, Indigenous, and Women of Color (BIWOC) doulas to provide pregnancy, birth and postnatal services to babies born in Douglas County. Success By 6 connects families with young children with community resources for developmental needs, parenting assistance and daily living needs. The aim of the project is to improve birth outcomes for BIWOC mothers and their babies by changing the culture around the delivery of maternal child health services to better meet the needs of BIPOC families. #BeMoreLikeClaire’s contribution will provide stipends for four doula-supported births. 


Flourish, Inc.’s
​Lactation Support
​Bloomington, Indiana 
Flourish, Inc. will receive $2,200 to assist with the adaptation and sustainability of the Milk Matters program. Flourish, Inc., a non-profit organization based in Bloomington, Indiana, works to connect the community to free, high-quality breast feeding support and education. Through increasing breastfeeding rates, Flourish aims to reduce racial, economic and health disparities while promoting the well-being of families and the community. During the pandemic, the organization shifted from hosting in-person group meetings to providing virtual one-on-one support. Flourish is working to provide virtual group meetings and moderated peer interactions through a secure online platform. Funding from #BeMoreLikeClaire will provide support for a new clinic moderator position, which will be staffed by individuals from lower income and/or marginalized backgrounds who are seeking professional lactation or perinatal training and mentoring at the organization’s virtual clinics.