Residents praise Topeka City resource fair as attendance grows

Residents at a Topeka City community resource fair said the event helped them discover local programs, deepened ties among partner agencies and neighborhood groups, and made city services more accessible.

Resident A, who said she has lived in Topeka all her life, told the fair that she had learned about programs she did not previously know existed and that "this event is it's almost doubled in size" compared with last year. She said talking with representatives from the Neighborhood Improvement Association showed her ways to get involved in city decisions.

The growth of the fair, residents and participants said, reflects the value of in-person outreach. Resident B said, "person-to-person is always the best way to get involved," adding that face-to-face conversations allow more intimate, accessible exchanges between residents and service providers.

Other attendees said the fair gives organizations exposure and helps them collaborate. Resident D said the event allowed organizations "to see everything that is available for them" and to coordinate efforts "to make a better place." Resident E said she was able to speak with the city planning department and learn more about what city and county departments do.

Participants expressed a shared goal of connecting neighbors with services and preventing existing resources from going unused. Resident F summed up the sentiment: the fair exists "to help uplift the community and provide resources that many people probably didn't even realize that were wasted."

Organizers and attendees said they would like the city and neighborhood groups to hold similar events more often to sustain engagement and outreach. The transcript did not specify organizers, a schedule for future fairs, or attendance figures beyond attendees' statements that the event had increased in size.