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As during the previous two decades, Interfaith Housing Services went through many changes from 2011 through 2020. One of those changes was an extensive transition in leadership development, incorporating a new business model for management and growth. We were introduced to the principles taught by Leadership Reno County, the Kansas Leadership Center, and NeighborWorks America Achieving Excellence Program. As we applied and practiced these principles, our vocabulary and way of thinking began to change. We transitioned to responding to issues adaptively, looking at an issue from all angles and embracing the challenge to include unusual voices and different perspectives. This has had a reformative impact on hiring staff, selecting board members and forming our committees, all of which are such a big part of the growth here at Interfaith. Another piece of this transition was the creation of the Leadership Team, which was made up of all program and department directors. With this in place, responsibility for the success of the organization no longer rested solely on one person’s shoulders. It was a collaborative effort that saw several years of growth and expansion for Interfaith and for individual team members. By the mid to late 2010’s, the face of Interfaith was changing. John Scott, CEO of Interfaith, retired. While everyone wished him well, the impact was felt. His knowledge and devotion to Interfaith were irreplaceable. We were so blessed that our Board of Directors at the time devoted themselves to guide the organization through the difficult transition. As these changes were taking place, several valued employees moved on to other pursuits, while the roles and responsibilities changed for many of those who remained. However, with the continued support of our Board and faithful donors, together with m

“IHS (Interfaith) supporters come from all walks of life and often come as an answer to our prayers” - quote from Interfaith’s 2011 Annual Report, as Interfaith celebrated its 20th year of operation. This is just as true today as it was ten years ago and the ten years before that. The decade between 2001 and 2011 brought many new and exciting partnerships for Interfaith, some of which are stronger today than ever. These new partnerships and programs expanded the area in which Interfaith could serve, as well as provided ground breaking opportunities for families and communities across the state. Here is a brief summary outlining several of the high impact initiatives Interfaith helped to make a reality during our second decade of operation. In 2006, with grant funding provided by the Kansas Housing Resources Corporation, Interfaith was able to provide both emergency repairs and accessibility modifications to owner occupied houses in not only Reno, but also Kingman, McPherson, Pratt, Rice and Stafford Counties. Before funding ended for these programs in 2009, Interfaith was able to complete up to 55 projects per year, spending on average between $10,000 and $15,000 on each home.

Any structure, regardless how grand and beautiful, is nothing without a solid foundation. The Empire State Building, Notre Dame Cathedral, White House, Westminster Abby, and the Pantheon have all survived the ages because they were built on a solid foundation. The exposed part of the buildings goes through maintenance, upgrades, changes, renovations, but the foundation stands firm. IHS is a universal symbol for the name of Christ. Go into any Christian establishment in the world and you will most likely notice this IHS symbol. The founders of Interfaith Housing Services, Jack Mace, Helen Rosenblad, Steve Showalter, Randy Miller and others knew that Christ had to be the foundation of this new organization. As the story goes, they took the IHS, this symbol that unifies Christians everywhere, and came up with the name Interfaith Housing Services. Having just left 13 years of missionary service in Congo (Zaire) this foundation is what drew me to IHS in 1991 and the thing I appreciated most during my 25 years as President. An organization with the simple mandate to use our talents, resources, and faith to share our love for Christ through simple acts of service to our neighbors by improving living conditions.

In the 1980s, while working with the Mother to Mother Ministry through her church, Helen Rosenblad, realized there was a growing number of young mothers in our community who needed help with minor home repairs. On a mission to ease the burden for these mothers, Helen began to organize volunteers from the community to tackle the much needed repairs. And tackle them they did! These dedicaticated individuals gave up their Saturdays, paid for their own supplies and went out into the community to help these young families.

As Interfaith Housing & Community Services prepares to celebrate its 30th anniversary in March of 2021, staff has been reflecting on where the organization started, where we are now, and where we must be in order to continue with our mission and meet the future housing needs of our communities. In this issue of Blue Prints, we take a trip down memory lane that takes us directly across the street from Interfaith’s office on East Avenue A in Hutchinson.

Our shared vision seeks to establish new and quality infill housing for seniors while also creating a model for donor investment options and perpetual generative revenues to our overall organizational mission. We will be forever grateful to Gene and Kay Schmidt for their willingness to partner with Interfaith Housing & Community Services and invest in the sustainability of our community.