Thank You, CRC!
This month, we're featured on the website of the Community Resources Council (CRC) as part of their Tenant Highlight series. While they're shining the spotlight on us, we wanted to take a moment to turn that light around and talk about the instrumental role the CRC has played in our success so far.
We met with the CRC's Executive Director, Mary Thomas, in the spring of 2023, looking for guidance on starting a nonprofit. This was the first time we had told anyone in a position of power about what we wanted to create, and we (Justine, at least) expected to be shot down. Surely she'd say the dream was too ambitious or not right for Topeka. Instead, Mary was encouraging from the start. She not only helped us get set up as a 501(c)(3), she said "yes" to our crazy idea of starting a combination grocery store+recycling hub in the new CARE Center opening in the former Stout Elementary School.
While operating out of an old school might not seem like the best idea, it's the reason we were able to open a physical location at all. The rent was far more affordable than anything else we could find. And not only do we have a great room of our own, we have access to shared spaces and resources: A receptionist who greets our suppliers. A custodian who sets up tables for us in a gym large enough for Fix-It Clinics and swaps. It's a partnership that benefits us in so many ways.
The CRC has served Topeka for over 100 years, but it's one of those "behind the scenes" players that's easy to overlook because its role is to help other nonprofits shine. We think they deserve a moment in the spotlight for supporting us and so many other organizations in all sorts of ways. We all shine brighter because of them. Thanks, CRC!
