Values, Mission, Vision 

Who We Are

We are a 501(c)(3) corporation, operating in the State of Kansas dedicated to enhancing the lives of all clients of Life Centers of Kansas.

What We Believe

VALUES
​Our decisions and actions will be consistent with our mission and vision, striving to always act with integrity, accountability, respect and dignity, through  teamwork, continuous learning and advocacy.

What We Do

MISSION
​To enrich the lives of clients served by Life Centers of Kansas by commitments to the following:
  • Fund raising that will enable us to help improve the quality of life for all LCKS clients, especially those with little or no family or other external support.
  • Collaboration With LCKS Management: identify and fund appropriate agreed upon initiatives from Life Centers business plan that is within the scope of FFLCKS nonprofit status                                         
  •  Information and educational opportunities: Help enable the Families and Guardians to better plan and implement appropriate health, financial, advocacy and life planning initiatives.
  • Support better communication: Provide opportunities for board members, parents/guardians to know one  another by sharing experiences, and knowledge  gained in caring for our loved ones.
VISION
​The FFLCKS organization will be a visible and contributing presence in supporting a future characterized by the following:
  • Annual and sustained success in planning and implementing fund raising events sufficient to impact the lives of current and future LCKS clients, families and support network.
  • A growing organization composed of an appropriate mix of family members/guardians and external professionals dedicated to furthering the mission of FFLCKS.
  •  Seeking grants and other awards of funding from outside sources that enable us to expand important and relevant initiatives, consistent with our mission and goals.
  • Increased involvement of families/guardians and other dedicated supporters through meetings, projects and programs that directly support the  FFLCKS mission and goals.               

Previous Accomplishments

  • FFLCKS donated 10 iPads to initiate the technology center at the new day service facility.
  • ·Initiated a meal program where clients helped learn to prepare meals which in turn were served  to all group homes once a month.
  • The 2022 Annual campaign was completed and netted over $12,000. 
  • ·A food pantry was established and opened in November 2018 and closed at the end of 2022. . A Pilot Nutrition Education program for house managers was funded for 2022.
  • ·Angel Tree Christmas gifts and Christmas Day Meals for clients in need were funded.
  • ·Through the Client Needs Program we made numerous donations of clothing , bedding, personal hygiene supplies and other necessities to clients who had little or no support system.
  • ·The 2023 Golf tournament was held at Prairie Highlands, netting over $30,000.
  • ·We designed, developed and launched  a website and  Facebook page for FFLCKS.

Board

Jim Wise is Chairman for the Friends and Family of Life Centers of Kansas non-profit board. Dr. Wise has been on the board since its inception. Carody and Jim’s family include their son Ben who lives in the Linden home with Life Centers. In addition, they have a daughter Sally Pattison who is a nurse practitioner at The University of Kansas. She and her husband Joe have two children Isla and Henry. Jim and Carody feel strongly about the board being a great way for parents to learn, grow and interact with the staff and owners of Life Centers. When away from the board you can likely find Jim on the golf course or a trout stream!
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​Mike Benscheidt is retired and  married with two stepchildren.  His stepson is a client at Life Centersand is involved in Special Olympics.  Mike and his wife moved here 3 years ago and those two organizations have been most helpful, not only for his son but for the whole family.  Being on the Life Centers board and being able to give a little back is comforting.  Spending time with these Special Needs friends warms their hearts.  How they keep such a strong uplifting attitude is miraculous.
​Machele Haskin  started with the board in 2016. and currently serves as the treasurer for theboard. She is retired from 35 years of public school special education, where she taught the Deaf & Hard of Hearing. she has a son, Ricky, who is 35 and on the residential list for Life Centers. The family brought him home because of Covid, and are waiting for Life Centers to open another house for him to move into. During her spare time, Machele likes to cook and garden. "I enjoy serving on the board to see what kind of opportunities we will be able to put in place for the clients of LCKS".
Cathy Jurgensmeyer has a son named Luke who is a client in the day program at Life Centers of Kansas. Luke has a rare neuro-genetic disorder called Angelman Syndrome and is the youngest of three children. His twin brother and older sister both live in Chicago. Cathy appreciates the mission of Friends and Family of Life Centers of Kansas and is excited to work alongside other board members to help the organization reach its goals.
Kim Morse is a newcomer to the Friends of Life Center‘s Board.  Kim have a son who is at the Mohawk House and is also part of the Day program. She is am also raising a 17-year-old daughter, Mackenzie, with my husband Mitch. Kim is a founding member of the Autism Society of Johnson County Kansas, which began in 2001.  It is truly our honor to be part of this wonderful community..
​Dan Terrill recently joined the FFLCKS board and looks forward to working with other members of the board to facilitate the caregiving mission of LCKS and help improve the lives of the clients there.

Dan and Kathy became involved with LCKS when they enrolled their oldest son Brian in the day program a couple years ago. Brian loves every day spent there with his new friends and caregivers.
Jay Terry grew up in Southwestern Oklahoma.  He received a dual track undergraduate degree from Oklahoma State University in Animal Sciences and Business Management and graduate degrees in Organizational Leadership and Production Management from the University of Missouri.  Jay served in the USAF for seven years. the last four of which as a Strategic Missile Combat Crew Commander.  He owned a management consulting practice specializing in Organizational Behavior for 32 years.  Jay isthe father of Steven Terry, an Intellectually and Developmentally Disabled adult served by Life Centers of Kansas.He has the primary responsibility for Steven’s care since he was a young boy.
 
Jay has  served on the board of directors of Friends and Family of Life Centers of Kansas since 2019.  I am proud to be a part of this organization because of the powerful commitment we all have to improving the quality of life for clients of Life Centers of Kansas, particularly those who lack sufficient family and/or financial support, and providing support, resources and encouragement to their families and friends.
Jodi Tromba originally grew up in S.L.C, Utah, where she met her husband Jim and his three elementary-aged boys, Joe, Jon & Michael.  They married in 1995 and soon had Cole then two years later had Brianna (Bri) and Brian (twins).  In 2003 they transferred to Overland Park, KS with Jim’s work as an Air Traffic Controller (now retired).  Bri has had disabilities since birth because of a condition called Vesa Previa (basically her umbilical cord tore during a contraction, and she lost most of her blood and oxygen).   
 
Bri has been a part of Life Centers Day Program since the spring/summer 2021 when they moved into the new building.  Bri absolutely loves being at L.C with all the other clients, and the staff, and doing all the different activities each day! 
 
I am excited to be coming into this board and learn from them how to support families & guardians with information and resources for their family members, and to help this community any way I can. 
 Amy Willams became involved after their son became a client of the residential program in 2021, She wanted to find a productive way to support Life Centers. When she learned about the mission of Friends and Family of Life Centers and the board’s activities and goals it felt like a great fit for her!

​​2024 Goals 

1. Annual fundraisers:
        Golf Tournament October 7th and Valentine’s Day Annual Campaign.
2. Halloween & Valentine’s Day Parties with DJ for day Service & Residential Clients.
3. Biannual meetings for parents and Guardians
          April 23 rd Guest Speaker-Tom Pomeranz Ph.D.
          November 14 th Annual meeting
4. Funding social activities for both day and residential clients.
5. Funding for memorial gifts.
6. Evaluate support for a sensory Room at Day Service for Autism Clients.
7. Network with Onward Kansas
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Have any questions? Want to find out more?
​Contact [email protected]