About Us

The Village Initiative is committed to helping “Returning Citizens” and their families rebuild their lives as they endeavor to reintegrate into society to become productive citizens. The Village Initiative further commits, to proactively working to prevent the incarceration of At-Risk-Youth and non-violent offenders through intervention and networking with other faith-based organizations, community leaders, business leaders, judicial authorities, state and local agencies, mentors, and volunteers. With all stakeholders, jointly working together, The Village Initiative goals are attainable.

“It Takes a Village to Make a Difference.”

Our Mission and History

Our mission is helping returning citizens (ex-offenders) and their families rebuild their lives as they endeavor to reintegrate back into society to become productive citizens.

Village Impact relaunched in 2017 with the Family Life Resource Center to reach ex-offenders and their families. Statistics reveal that KCK has the second highest population of reentry individuals in the state of Kansas. Village Initiative launched to provide this underserved demographic with mentoring, transitional housing, job training, and addiction counseling to prepare them to re-enter our community as productive citizens. Since launching, we have seen countless families transformed and secure employment, housing, and freedom from addiction.

The Need

Village Initiative is committed to helping returning citizens (ex- offenders) and their families rebuild their lives as they endeavor to reintegrate into society as productive citizens.

Every day, approximately 2,000 men and women are released from prison. Studies show that without meaningful intervention, 2 out of 3 ex-offenders will return to prison within three years of their release. KDOC reports that at the end of 2015, Kansas prisons were over-capacity with that number expected to grow. With the current cost of incarcerating an individual at approximately $24,371 annually, the system is unsustainable. In order to break this cycle of recidivism, meaningful reentry programs must address the holistic needs of the returning citizens (ex-offenders) and their families.

In addition to the multitude of barriers facing those reentering society, the Council of State Governments reports that the majority of those incarcerated develop a substance abuse disorder. Our Family Life Resource Center is able to connect these individuals to the resources, counseling, and aftercare they need to thrive in the communities and families they return to after incarceration.

This problem is not going away, and requires innovative solutions. Many Wyandotte neighborhoods and families depend on our willingness to come around those touched by incarceration and addiction with solutions that incite lasting change.

Project Description

Village Initiative is a state-approved addiction counseling and treatment center with licensed counselors and a close working relationship with the Wyandotte courts. Because the majority of the individuals and families we serve have been touched by incarceration, Village Initiative is committed to working to prevent the further incarceration of at-risk youth and non-violent offenders through proactive intervention, collaboration and wrap-around services. Our desire is to see individuals thrive and families restored.

The Center is focused on a holistic approach to offering wrap- around services to returning citizens (ex-offenders), addicts, and their families to be productive members of the community. Services offered include job-placement, transportation, ID/birth- certificates, mentoring, parenting classes, food, clothing, licensed counselors (addiction, domestic violence, anger management, grief), support groups (gambling, mothers, anti-crime, anti- violence, substance abuse, grief), state-approved addiction treatment, transitional housing, game room, food pantry, and a computer lab.

Village Initiative has three on-site, dedicated Addiction Recovery Counselors. They provide a safe space for our patients and their family members to process through the struggles of addiction and recovery. They also develop plans to avoid relapse early in the recovery process with the patient, to minimize the risk of relapse. Their role goes far beyond just listening and offering advice, extending to empowering patients to recognize underlying problematic behaviors and take action to change them.

The recidivism rate for the state of Kansas averages 34%. Our ultimate goal is to transform the reentry population of our city/ county by greatly reducing the recidivism rates of Wyandotte families through wrap-around support and counseling services.

One of the chief culprits for recidivism we have encountered is addiction. We believe that sustained sobriety and long-term recovery are achievable goals for anyone who has the proper guidance and support. In order to reach and sustain long-term recovery, we advocate continuing care for our patients, which can include longer periods of treatment, helping patients join long- term support communities, facilitating aftercare support, resourcing the patient’s family, and offering varied methods of treatment (individual therapy, group therapy, family therapy, etc.).

We measure the total number of individuals who receive services, graduate our programs, and successfully acclimate into the community. We also maintain case management and counseling files for our clients and families to track progress. Furthermore, we keep a close working relationship with our clients’ parole officers to ensure lasting progress is being made for our families.

Family Life Resource Center Project Expense Budget

Collaborative Partners

Village Initiative highly values collaboration and the sharing of resources/expertise in tackling the complex issues facing our community. Our CRS collaborative has over 12 agencies serving reentry individuals and their families as they reintegrate back into society to become productive citizens. Village Initiative is also a member of the Impact KCK collaborative at Avenue of Life, offering recovery and addiction counseling to families referred.
Village Initiative provides referrals to local agencies throughout town. We also receive referrals from the Wyandotte Court system.

Partners include: Economic Opportunity Foundation, Roswell Church, Church of the Resurrection, Westside Family Church, Avenue of Life, Wyandotte Courts, KDOC, Wholesale Sheet Metal, KC Faithworks, Local 533 Pipefitters, Sherwin Williams, Rew Material, Lowes, Carpenters District Council of Greater Kansas City, Chas Ball Sunfish Market, Overhead Door, KC Mechanical, Electrical Enterprises, Chic-fil-A, Bright Ideas Signs and More, Brooks Brothers, and Churches of Christ Prison Ministries.