Projects & Initiatives

We make a commitment to regularly attend or view City Council meetings in order to help our community and partners stay well informed.

City Council meetings are held at City Hall every first and third Tuesday of every month at 5:30 in the Council Chambers.

Agenda link can be found here.

We make a commitment to regularly attend or view County Commission meetings in order to help our community and partners stay well informed with Reno County matters.

County Commission meetings are held on the second, fourth and fifth Wednesdays at 9 a.m. in the Veterans Room at the Reno County Courthouse.

Meetings are live-streamed on the county's YouTube channel.

Agenda link can be found here.

Our commitment to our school district includes attending or viewing USD 308 Board meetings to better understand Board actions, resolutions, and to stay up to date on USD 308 related matters.

Regular Board meetings are held on the second and fourth Monday of the month at 6 pm, at the Administration Center.

Board agendas are available the Friday before the Board meeting here.

Hutch in Harmony is committed to attending the Hutchinson Human Relations Commission meetings at City Hall to further our understanding on related topics and support the HRC and the Human Relations Officer in their strategic planning.

The Human Relations Commission endeavors to eliminate prejudice among the various groups in the City and to create harmonious relationships among the various persons and agencies within the City. The Commission functions in an advisory capacity to the mayor and the governing body of the City on problems affecting human and inter-group relations, per the city’s website.

The focus of this Commission is eliminating and preventing discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodations regardless of:

• Age

• Ancestry

• Color

• Disability

• National origin

• Race

• Religion

• Sex

To this end, the Commission may:

• Make studies and surveys to collect accurate data;

• Facilitate cooperative actions with other agencies, both private and public;

• Influence and encourage community support for educational programs and appropriate legislation;

• Provide and promote distribution of information to promote goodwill and to minimize or eliminate discriminatory practices arising from prejudice.

Regular Meetings

Meetings are held on the third Wednesday of each month at 4:00 PM in the Council Chamber Conference Room at City Hall.

Human Relations Commission page link:

Human Relations Commission | Hutchinson, KS

Hutch in Harmony attends the monthly Community Advisory Board meetings at City Hall (CAB). These meetings are open to the public and is thanks to the partnership with the City of Hutchinson, Hutchinson Police Department, Hutchinson NAACP, the Sheriff’s Department, and HCC’s Social Science Department.

Meetings are held on the second Monday of each month at 2:30 PM in the Council Chamber Conference Room at City Hall.

The Facilities Steering Committee with USD 308 was formed in 2023 to discuss ways to make Hutchinson a place that attracts families and community engagement through strategic planning for the future of our school district and its facilities.

We were part of the Mission, Vision, and Values for USD308 in 2024.

Hutch in Harmony partnered with Kansas Interfaith Action in support of paid Mobilizer positions in 2024 to assist our community on the voting process because we believe that local elections matter and low voter turnout harms our communities.

This dream is a collaborative effort with USD 308 staff, teachers, the Hutchinson NAACP Youth, and Hutch in Harmony to assist the youth in our community with connecting to local leaders in Hutchinson. Thanks to the generosity of the Richard W. Dillon Fund for Youth Philanthropy, the Youth Philanthropy Council at the Hutchinson Community Foundation, we turned what we thought would be a 24 page Black and Brown Leaders Coloring Book into a stand-alone 64-page Black Leaders Coloring Book and counting, with our Brown Leaders Coloring Book well on its way in 2025. There are TONS of local leaders here and that’s a great thing to have! We are so excited to build both and release the Brown Leaders Coloring Book in 2025! 

The first part of this project is geared towards children in early education through 1st grade. It showcases pictures of 30 local leaders for children to color, teaches them how to write each leader’s name, and has a description of their work in the community, past or present.

Children will be able to relate to a local leader they may encounter in their hometown and get curious about the work that they do. Children are taught about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Dolores Huerta but through this coloring book, they may encounter their grandparent, family friend, pastor, parent, or teacher that makes a difference in their own community or learn about someone they have never heard of. 

We understand the importance of having people that our children can relate to and learn from. This project will be a continuation of that effort to assist and engage children in equity work, further their education about local heroes, and ignite a sense of advocacy for the things that are important to them. 

Over 700 coloring books were disbursed to all USD 308 Pre-K through 1st grade students February 2024 in honor of Black History Month. Reach out to us if you’d like a copy for a $5 suggested donation to support our mission. Our office hours are from 11-2! 

Special thanks to Jamar Crable Photography and Nick Hemphill Photo Video for allowing us to use pictures from the Freedom Fund Dinner and the SW Bricktown Fiesta for this project.

An in-progress documentary that will capture the lived history of our minority communities for the learning and enrichment of current and future residents of Hutchinson. This partnership includes the Reno County Museum and the Hutchinson Recreation Commission thanks to a Changemaker’s at Work Grant from the Hutchinson Community Foundation.

Reading Rendezvous is Hutch In Harmony’s monthly book club. We read through non-fiction, fiction, poetry, and biographies, and select books themed around social justice.

So, come join us for our book discussions on the second Thursday of each month at the Hutch in Harmony office at 6:30 pm!

Join our Facebook Group: Reading Rendezvous Discussions - Where you can join the discussion anytime and can add your thoughts on any of the books we’ve read or will read this year!

Join us for Story Saturday, 2 PM at the Huch in Harmony office on the last Saturday of every month! This is a monthly children’s read-aloud that pairs with the monthly theme of the month for our book club, Reading Rendezvous.

This program is free, and no registration is required.

Listed below were the children's books we read in 2024:

January - Ron’s Big Mission by Rose Blue
February - Life Doesn’t Frighten Me by Maya Angelou and Jean-Michel Basquiat
March - What Miss Mitchell Saw by Hayley Barrett
April - The River that Flows Beside Me by Charlotte Guillian
May - Maribel's Year by Michelle Sterling
June - Bathe the Cat by Alice B. McGinty
July - Opal Lee by Alice Faye Duncan
August - Usha and the Big Digger by Amitha Jagannath Knight
September - They Call Me Guero by David Bowles
October - Breathe Like a Bear Mindfulness Cards: 50 Mindful Activities for Kids by Kira Willey
November - Harvest Days by Kate DePalma
December - A Christmas Too Big by Colleen Madden

Our annual book-giving honors cultures and represents a multitude of perspectives by providing school libraries with access to books for all ages from our Reading Rendezvous children’s list of the year.

2022 Recipient: Allen Stem Magnet School

2023 Recipient: Lincoln_McCandless Elementary

2024: Wiley Elementary

Hutchinson’s First Civil Rights Memorial

The Chester I. Lewis Plaza committee has involved people from multiple city departments, community members, and nonprofit organizations over the years. This space is continuously growing into a beautiful, informative space for our community to take pride in our local civil rights history.

Thank you to Jane Wagler, Ron Sylvester, Darrell Pope, Dr. Hence Parson, Justin Combs, Jake Love, Rodrigo Velazquez, and Nicole Martinez, Rebecca Keasling, Jesse Juma, Datjaeda Moore, Dave Sotelo, NAACP Hutchinson

Artists: Josh Triploli & Rebekah Lewis of Lupoli Collective, Brendan Martinez, Jocelyn Woodson 

Chester I. Lewis Plaza is located at:

15 E 1st Ave
Hutchinson, KS 67501

Local events are held at Chester I. Lewis Plaza every year. It gives space for large or intimate gatherings while being able to learn more about our very own Chester I. Lewis. Watch Jocelyn Woodson’s Talk20Hutch Presentation from July 2020 here.

We are honored to be a Founding Partner Organization for KIC in their vital mission to support immigrant communities across our state.

The need for greater resources, advocacy, and access to accurate, up-to-date information on immigration is more urgent than ever. Together, we can make a meaningful difference in the lives of individuals and families. We are committed to continuing this critical work side by side with KIC and our community partners.

This program was created to assist DACA recipients across the nation with their renewals. The DACA program has been a lifeline for so many young people who were brought to the United States as children, allowing them to pursue their dreams and contribute to our communities.

DACA Renewal Application for DACA Recipients: Click here

As we continue to face uncertainty around immigration policy, it's crucial to support and ensure that Dreamers can work, study, and thrive without fear of losing their status. Hutch in Harmony's #SaveTheDream initiative has been doing vital work by helping DACA recipients renew their work permits, which are essential for maintaining their livelihoods and stability since December 2020. 

Will you help us provide security and opportunity to our local Dreamers?

Donation link to our #SaveTheDream initiative in Reno County here: every little bit counts!

Online Renewals: $555/person

Mailed Renewals: $605/person

If you prefer donating through Zeffy, you may click this link.

This program was created to assist in green card renewals for local residents in Hutchinson after we received a request from a local partner that was concerned for their status due to an expired green card. Due to the nature of this program and the process and proceedings before obtaining citizenship, most of our applicants request to remain anonymous out of concern for their USCIS application status. Started in 2022.

To donate, click here.

Esperanza Rides is a volunteer-based initiative dedicated to supporting immigrant families in Reno County by providing safe and reliable transportation. Whether it's driving someone to an immigration appointment in Wichita or Kansas City, picking up groceries, running errands, or helping with school drop-offs and pickups, our volunteers play a crucial role in ensuring that transportation is never a barrier to essential needs.

This initial partnership with the HRO (Human Relations Officer) and A.I.R.R. (Advocates for Immigrant Rights and Reconciliation) was to inform our undocumented community of their rights regarding HB2350. This was held at the Ave A School library with a Q&A afterwards. Attendants received info packets and asked for updates on upcoming workshops to empower them to be informed of their rights. Held June 12th, 2023.

Hutch in Harmony has been officially trained with A.I.R.R.’s Know Your Rights and provides these workshops to organizations and churches upon request.

Hutch in Harmony’s first annual Hispanic Health & Resource Fair was a success in October 2024 with over 350 people supported with health, education, and community resources. The event was held at Memorial Hall thanks to the generous support from the City of Hutchinson, our Health Equity Presenting Sponsors: Hutchinson Clinic & SW Bricktown, Healthy Communities Platinum Sponsor: United Methodist Health Ministry Fund, Active Communities Gold Sponsor: Mariposas Events & Rentals, Empowered Health Advocacy Silver Sponsor: IdeaTek & Dillons.

The first-ever Mexican Mobile Consulate in Hutchinson provided our immigrant community with the opportunity to renew their passports or consulate ID’s without needing to travel to Kansas City. Everyone who received Mobile Consulate services registered two weeks in advance.

A good percentage of community members brought their significant other or family along with them. This allowed our outreach efforts with community partners and local resources to support our Hispanic community with as many resource opportunities as possible, all in one place. Banking services, community resources, dental care, healthcare, money-saving services, migrant education and Spanish-speaking realtors came together to provide their resources in Spanish. 

Hispanic Kansans face a number of barriers to quality healthcare access. Over 20% of Kansas Hispanics are uninsured. That is the highest in the state. Our undocumented community is not eligible for programs like KanCare or the Affordable Care Act. We are grateful to Hutchinson Regional Healthcare System and the Reno County Health Department for providing a number of resource booths to the health and resource fair.

From stroke education, lactation specialists, a pharmacist, carotid ultrasound screenings, lipid testing, mental health resources, Hospice & Homecare, blood pressure checks, glucose testing, the WIC program, smoking cessation, and maternal child health, the hospital and health department ensured that everyone who came to the health & resource fair had access to health-related resources for free.

Hutch in Harmony’s partnership with Mexican delegates from the Consulate in Kansas City and our community brought this vital resource to Hutchinson with your help and support.

• California

• Colorado

• Connecticut

• Illinois

• Massachusetts

• New Jersey

• *New Mexico: declared that the state will not honor an ICE Detention request without an accompanying warrant

• New York

• North Dakota

• Oregon

• *Rhode Island: declared that the state will not honor an ICE Detention request without an accompanying warrant

• Utah

• Vermont

• Washington

• Washington DC

• Alexandria, VA

• Memphis, TN

• Pittsburgh, PA

• Raleigh, NC

Georgia:

• Athens-Clarke County

• Atlanta

• Columbia County

• DeKalb County

• Douglas County

Idaho:

• Power County

Indiana:

• Lake County

• Monroe County

• St. Joseph County

• Wayne County

Kansas: NOT a Sanctuary County, it is on this list for low cooperation with law enforcement without a warrant

• Douglas County (Lawrence, Baldwin City, Eudora, LeCompton, Clinton)

Kentucky:

• Campbell County

• Franklin County

• Jefferson County

• Louisville

• Scott County

Louisiana: 

• New Orleans

Maine:

• Cumberland County

• Hancock County

Maryland:

• Baltimore

• Baltimore County

• Charles County

• Howard County

• Hyattsville

• Montgomery County

• Prince George's County

• Queen Anne's County

• Rockville

• St. Mary's County

Michigan:

• Kalamazoo County

• Kent County

• Lansing

• Leelanau County

• Luce County

• Muskegon County

• Oakland County

• Washtenaw County

• Wayne County

• Wexford County

Minnesota:

• Anoka County

• Cottonwood County

• Dakota County

• Hennepin County

• Jackson County

• Kandiyohi County

• Lincoln County

• Lyon County

• Nobles County

• Pipestone County

• Ramsey County

• Watonwan County

Nebraska:

• Arthur County

• Banner County

• Blaine County

• Douglas County

• Gosper County

• Greeley County

• Hooker County

• Howard County

• Logan County

• McPherson County

• Platte County

• Sioux County

New Hampshire:

• Hillsborough County

New Mexico:

• Bernalillo County

• Chaves County

• Colfax County

• De Baca County

• Dona Ana County

• Eddy County

• Farmington

• Grant County

• Hidalgo County

• Las Cruces

• Lincoln County

• Los Alamos County

• Luna County

• McKinley County

• Otero County

• Quay County

• Rio Arriba County

• Roosevelt County

• San Juan County

• San Miguel County

• Sandoval County

• Santa Fe

• Santa Fe County

• Sierra County

• Socorro County

• Taos County

New York:

• Albany

• Albany County

• Dutchess County

• Monroe County

• Nassau County

• New York City

• Orange County

• Putnam County

• Rockland County

• Saratoga County

• Suffolk County

• Sullivan County

• Tompkins County

• Ulster County

• Warren County

• Wayne County

• Westchester County

• Yates County

North Carolina:

• Buncombe County

• Chatham County

• Durham County

• Forsyth County

• Guilford County

• Mecklenburg County

• Orange County

• Wake County

• Watauga County

Ohio:

• Franklin County

• Hamilton County

• Lorain County

• Mahoning County

Pennsylvania:

• Allegheny County

• Berks County

• Bucks County

• Chester County

• Delaware County

• Lancaster

• Lehigh County

• Mifflin County

• Montgomery County

• Montour County

• Northampton County

• Philadelphia

• Washington County

South Carolina:

• Charleston County

Tennessee:

• Shelby County

Virginia: * Denotes the jurisdiction is part of a regional jail system (ranges from limited cooperation to no cooperation)

• Albemarle County *

• Alexandria

• Alleghany County *

• Amherst County *

• Appomattox County *

• Ashland *

• Arlington County

• Augusta County *

• Bath County *

• Bedford *

• Bedford County *

• Brunswick County *

• Buchanan County *

• Campbell County *

• Caroline County

• Charles City County *

• Charlotte County

• Charlottesville *

• Chesapeake *

• Chesterfield County *

• Colonial Heights *

• Covington *

• Dickenson County *

• Dinwiddie County *

• Dumfries *

• Emporia *

• Essex County *

• Fairfax County

• Franklin *

• Gloucester County

• Greensville County *

• Halifax County *

• Hampton *

• Hanover County *

• Harrisonburg *

• Haymarket *

• Hopewell *

• Isle of Wight County *

• James City County *

• King and Queen County *

• King William County *

• Lee County *

• Loudoun County

• Lynchburg *

• Manassas *

• Manassas Park *

• Martinsville

• Mathews County *

• Mecklenburg County *

• Middlesex County *

• Nelson County *

• Newport News

• Norfolk *

• Northumberland County *

• Norton *

• Occoquan *

• Petersburg *

• Poquoson *

• Portsmouth City *

• Prince George County *

• Prince William County *

• Quantico *

• Rappahannock County *

• Richmond

• Richmond County *

• Rockingham County *

• Russell County *

• Scott County *

• Shenandoah County *

• Smyth County *

• Southampton County

• Staunton *

• Suffolk *

• Surry County *

• Tazewell County *

• Virginia Beach *

• Warren County *

• Warsaw *

• Washington County *

• Waynesborough *

• Westmoreland County *

• Williamsburg *

• Wise County *

• York County *

Wisconsin:

• Dane County

• Milwaukee County

• Winnebago Correctional Center (state facility)

Wyoming:

• Teton County

We are honored to highlight our Empower & Embrace Fund for Change. Your support and donation are essential for fostering a safe, inclusive, and supportive environment for LGBTQ+ youth in our community. Gay-Straight Alliances (GSAs) provide invaluable spaces for young people to connect, find solidarity, and combat the isolation often felt by LGBTQ+ individuals. In Reno County, where resources for LGBTQ+ youth may be limited, supporting this fund ensures that GSA members have access to the tools, programs, and mentorship they need to thrive. Whether through educational workshops, leadership training, or social events, your donation helps create opportunities for these youth to develop confidence, resilience, and a strong sense of community.

Donations to Empower & Embrace also play a critical role in combating discrimination and fostering broader acceptance in Reno County. As young people navigate the challenges of growing up, the support of a GSA provides them with an essential platform to raise awareness, advocate for their rights, and foster inclusivity within schools and beyond. By contributing to this cause, you are investing not only in the well-being and future of LGBTQ+ youth but also in building a more accepting and compassionate society for all.

Your support helps ensure that every young person in Reno County has the opportunity to be their authentic self, free from fear or prejudice.

Donation Link: please include Empower & Embrace in the comment here.

Zeffy Donation Link: please click here.

Hutch in Harmony is dedicated to promoting love, equity, and inclusion by actively supporting our local LGBTQIA+ community. We are proud to stand in solidarity and provide ongoing support for the annual State Pride weekend, celebrating diversity and advocating for equal rights for all.

We held a gender marker clinic at Crow & Co. books to assist in legal advice and gender marker changes with our Director of Legal Affairs before the July 1st deadline in 2023. Held May 21st, 2023.

We are proud supporters of the PHMS GSA to assist LGBTQIA+ students, parents, and allies with resources to help students feel safe and welcome. They are celebrated as individuals and assist in community service projects, have activities, and bring guest speakers to their monthly meetings at the middle school.

We served as board members and volunteers for the first two ever Pride events here in Hutchinson, KS. Since then, we have been donors as well as attending and hosting a booth at the event.

This is a new project that began when we received phone calls from family members of incarcerated individuals. It has come to our attention that there is a desperate need for health scans, food equity, and resources as well as support to individuals after serving time. This program assists with support for incarcerated individuals through local partnerships, existing initiatives, secure resources after release, and expungement services available to all.

Expungement Project Hutchinson is a community collaboration with Kansas Legal Services, Hutch in Harmony, the Human Relations Commission, Hutchinson NAACP, and local lawyers. We held an Expungement Clinic in 2022 at the Hutchinson Public Library. In 2025, we expanded it to provide an Expungement Clinic and a License Restoration Clinic with our community partners. Follow our Expungement Project Hutchinson page here.

Every other month starting in May until September, we have a booth at the Reno County Farmer's Market to showcase our free "Neighbor" signs, crisis intervention cards, our Reading Rendezvous book club list, and our current or upcoming initiatives. As well as giving us the chance to engage our community about the importance of creating a place where everyone belongs.

We are proud to be sponsors of the annual Freedom Fund Dinner, with a $2,000 donation to support the fight for equity at the Hutchinson. We are also the creators and of the POPE Award: People of Profound Effect Award, which is presented at the dinner. The first annual award given to Darrell Pope, the NAACP's longest-standing President in the United States who celebrated 52 years of service in 2022. In 2023 we celebrated Glinda Theus, a life-long educator in our public school system. Hutch in Harmony is accepting nominations for the POPE Award for 2024.

Hutch in Harmony Supports the annual celebration hosted by the NAACP Youth Group.

We have been annual sponsors of the Southwest Bricktown Fiesta with $2,000 to support the Latinx community for Hispanic Heritage Month in September and the community organizers of SW Bricktown neighborhood.

We donate $500 to this weekend long this historic, annual tradition of Emancipation in Hutchinson. A celebration that has been going in our community for over 135 years. We also participate in the annual Emancipation Day Parade the first weekend of August.

Hutch in Harmony attends the annual King Day festivities, being honored to speak at the last 7 year's events and supports the HRO, HCC, and King Day Committee in the weekend’s festivities.