Hutchinson Community Foundation launches second-year county survey, seeks 1,225 responses

Representatives of the Hutchinson Community Foundation asked the Reno County Commission to help publicize the second year of the foundation's "Love Where You Live" Community Empowerment Initiative and to encourage residents to complete a countywide survey by Oct. 17.

Carrie Mayer, director of strategy for the Hutchinson Community Foundation, and board member Randy Henderson told the commission the initiative centers resident voices with surveys, community benchmarking reports, workshops and grantmaking. The foundation said it needs at least 1,225 survey responses from Reno County residents this year to measure change from the first year.

Mayer said last year the foundation received 1,022 responses countywide; 205 respondents also attended community workshops and the foundation's fall workshops helped produce eight benchmarks that organizers say were met. The reports and workshop materials are available at renosurvey.com, Mayer said. She asked commissioners and county staff to help distribute paper surveys, which are available at city halls, libraries and some food pantries, and advised that Spanish-language copies are also available.

Mayer said the foundation had made a $50,000 grant to support the countywide economic-development strategic plan and that the foundation is launching a three-year housing initiative built on earlier ARPA-funded county investments. She said the foundation had $400,000 in pending grant requests for community and economic development projects and that awards will be announced at an Oct. 2 event.

Ending: The foundation asked commissioners to help spread the word to rural residents in particular and to partner organizations; the survey is open through Oct. 17 and can be completed at renosurvey.com or via paper forms distributed locally.