Mitchell County
RISE
Mitchell County, Kansas
About Us
OUR MISSION
Mitchell County Rise started with a grant from Kansas University, aimed at easing the strain on vulnerable populations after COVID-19. Our team is comprised of members from the community. We are represented by teachers, business owners, students, immigrants, healthcare workers, parents, and grandparents. RISE identifies at-risk populations in our county and brainstorms innovative ways to help promote and provide equity for all our residents. In our team, the sky is the limit. We use our connections, lenses, and experiences to come together and find creative solutions to community challenges. We believe everyone can be a leader and welcome everyone to our table!
Our Impact
Our Values
At Mitchell County Rise, we believe in the power of representation and inclusion to create positive change. We value empathy and collaboration in all our initiatives. Our approach is rooted in working to understand the unique needs of our community and coming together to address them.
WHAT WE'VE ACHIEVED
Laundry Love
Laundry Love is a program where our team or local businesses sponsor the laundromat and pay for up to four loads of laundry per family. We aim to have this event quarterly and pair with connected care, local businesses, and some fun and games to help everyone pass the time between loads of laundry. Many families came to the last event to help sanitize and prevent the February cold and flu spread! We also sponsored Laundry Love for places like Porter House Apartments, Sunnyslope Apartments, and Heritage High Apartments in Glen Elder. We often hear how much these events help ease some of the economic strain.
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Our Partnerships
We have collaborated with local schools, businesses, and healthcare providers to implement programs that support education, skill development, and healthcare access. Our donations helped support Summer Kids Cafe by providing larger refrigerators to help them serve 200+ children daily through the summer. We also helped Willow Springs Courtyard purchase handicap-accessible picnic tables for the new downtown park. RISE assisted Mitchell County Hospital Health Systems with a staffing deficit by connecting them with translation and onboarding systems that assisted local immigrants in applying and maintain jobs in the kitchen. We enjoyed our partnership with The City of Beloit to help bring the Snow Angel program to fruition. In the spirit of making the places we gather work for us, we joined forces with the Laundry Basket (the local laundromat) and provided new furniture for patrons to use while waiting for laundry. Through these partnerships, we have made a positive impact on the lives of many individuals in Mitchell County.
Cultural Inclusion Team
Cultural Inclusion Team, or CIT, is a group that formed with the idea that the easiest way to build community with our immigrant population was to sit at a table and share a meal. We offer access to technology, assistance translating, help with job placement, and English learning programs in person and at home. It is open to anyone and completely free. We have a delicious meal, play games, talk about family, and learn English and Spanish together. It opens our eyes to new cultures and helps us identify at-risk populations. CIT has also helped us make our community more inclusive to non-English speaking residents, who are helping our agriculture, education, and healthcare industries grow!
Snow Angels
The Snow Angel program seeks to match seniors and disabled members of the communithy with local volunteers who can help shovel sidewalks during the winter months. Volunteers and applicants apply every year and are matched with people in their neighborhoods. This program is modeled after a similar successful Snow Angels program in Kansas City, Missouri.
Hygeine Kits
We have been able to furnish hygeine bags for the community. We sent out bags for Christmas with the Angel Tree and Food Pantry boxes. We have also made bags to be distributed by local law enforcement for children who are taken into foster care or affected by disasters or accidents.
Welcome Bags
Welcome Bags are a gift to new residents of Beloit that are distributed when new Beloit residents turn on utilities. The bag includes community navigation information and resources for health and commerce in Beloit. This is the revival of a Beloit tradition!
Snow Angel Program
Snow on sidewalks is a potential hazard to those with limited mobility. It also makes it difficult for those who deliver services to our community, including mail carriers, meter readers, delivery services, and emergency services.
The Snow Angels Program is a voluntary snow removal service for senior citizens and persons with physical disabilities. The program matches volunteers from the community with residents in their neighbourhood requiring assistance. Volunteers are asked to help clear the municipally owned sidewalks around the resident’s property to keep our neighbourhoods safer and more accessible.
Snow Angels can be a great way to help your community while getting exercise in the process! For those in need, it's a great way to access timely snow removal assistance.
If you want to volunteer, or are looking for some assistance with snow removal at your home. Register online today. Applications will be at the Purdue House, The Senior Center, and the Beloit City Office if you would like a paper application. Applications will also be sent with Meals on Wheels.
Volunteer Program Terms
The following items should be understood before participating in this program:
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The City of Beloit accepts no responsibility for health insurance, liability insurance, or accident insurance.
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If requesting salt, the resident will provide. Volunteers are not expected to bring additional resources at their expense.
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It is between the volunteer and resident to arrange and coordinate the snow removal. If the weather service designates a Winter Storm Warning or if the temperature drops to an unsafe level, volunteers are asked to wait until it is safe for them to leave home.
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I acknowledge that transportation is my responsibility as the volunteer.
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I understand that volunteers are NOT allowed to enter the home of their assignee at any time for any reason.
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I acknowledge that my contact information and one emergency contact's information including name, email, and phone number will be provided to my assignee.
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I agree to utilize my assignee's contact information, including name, address, email, and phone number, only for the purpose of scheduling and conducting snow removal on their property and will not share or post this information anywhere.
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I acknowledge that my scope of work as a volunteer is limited to shoveling snow for my assignee's drive/walkway. I am not to take on additional responsibilities while acting in this role.
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I understand that breaking any of these terms may result in my removal from this program.
Resident Program Terms
The following items should be understood before participating in this program:
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The City of Beloit, Kansas accepts no responsibility for health insurance, liability insurance, or accident insurance.
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The volunteer is not responsible for clearing off any vehicle due to potential property damage.
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If requesting salt, the resident must provide. Volunteers are not expected to bring additional resources at their expense.
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It is between the volunteer and resident to arrange and coordinate the snow removal. Please remember that a volunteer may have a job or other obligations, so they may not be able to get to your home immediately after snow stops falling. Please allow up to 24 hours for walkways to be shoveled. If the weather service designates a Winter Storm Warning or if the temperature drops to an unsafe level, volunteers are asked to wait until it is safe for them to leave home.
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I acknowledge that transportation is the responsibility of the volunteer.
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I understand that volunteers are NOT allowed to enter my home
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I understand and agree that the scope of work volunteers will be performing is limited to shoveling my driveway/walkway(s) and does not include any other kind of maintenance or sundry tasks.
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I acknowledge that my contact information including name, address, email, and phone number will be provided to the volunteer for scheduling purposes.
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I acknowledge that the volunteer's contact information, and the contact information for an emergency contact for the volunteer will be provided to me and agree that I will not share this information or use it for any other purpose than scheduling snow shoveling for myself or for use in an emergency situation.
VOLUNTEER SNOW SHOVELER RELEASE AND WAIVER OF ALL LIABILITIES
As an independent volunteer who has made myself available to the City of Beloit, Kansas residents in need of assistance with snow removal ("The Activity"), I hereby recognize and acknowledge that I am not an agent, servant, or employee of the City of Beloit, Kansas. I am not performing the activity at the behest of, or under the control or supervision of the City of Beloit, Kansas, but rather at the request of and under the exclusive control of the resident to whom I am voluntarily providing services.
Therefore, I agree that any claim or suit that is pursued against me as a result of my participation in the Activity specified herein, including but not limited to, claims of property damage, personal injury, and intentional tort, are my sole responsibility. I release the City of Beloit, Kansas, its officers, employees, attorneys, and agents, from all judgments, payments, damages and claims, including all costs, expenses, and attorney's fees incurred by me in defending against any such claim. I will not seek legal representation, contribution, or indemnification from the City of Beloit, Kansas in connection with any such claim under any theory of vicarious liability or otherwise.
I further recognize and acknowledge that there are certain risks of physical injury associated with the Activity, and I agree to assume the full risk of any injuries, including death, damages, or loss which I may sustain as a result of participating in the Activity on a volunteer basis. I hereby waive, release, and discharge any and all claims for personal injury, death, or property damage which I may have, or which may hereafter accrue to me as a result of my participation in the Activity. I agree to indemnify and to hold harmless the City and its officers, employees, attorneys, and agents from any loss, liability, damage, cost, or expense which may incur as the result of my death, injury, or property damage that I sustain while participating in the Activity. This waiver, release, and assumption of risk is binding upon my heirs and assigns.
SNOW REMOVAL RECIPIENT
RELEASE AND WAIVER OF ALL LIABILITIES
As the recipient of snow removal assistance (The "Activity") I hereby recognize and acknowledge that the volunteer snow shoveler performing the Activity is not an agent, servant, or employee of the City of Beloit, Kansasi. The volunteer is not performing the Activity at the behest of, or under the control or supervision of the City of Beloit, Kansas, but rather at my request of and under my exclusive control and direction.
Therefore, I agree that any claims or suits that I might pursue against the Volunteer as a result of my participation in the Activity specified herein, including but not limited to claims of property damage, personal injury, and intentional tort, are my sole responsibility. I release the City of Beloit, Kansas and its officers, employees, attorneys, and agents from any judgments, payments, damages, and claims, including all costs expenses, and attorneys' fees incurred by me in pursuing any such claim. I further release the City of Beloit, Kansas and its officers, employees, attorneys, and agents from any liability whatsoever for any and all acts or omissions of the volunteer under any theory of vicarious liability or otherwise.
I HAVE CAREFULLY READ THIS WAIVER AND FULLY UNDERSTAND ITS CONTENTS. I AM AWARE THAT THIS IS A RELEASE OF LIABILITY AND A CONTRACT BETWEEN THE CITY OF BELOIT AND I SIGN IT OF MY FREE WILL.
Cultural Inclusion Team
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The Cultural Inclusion Team, or CIT, is a group that was formed with the idea that the easiest way to build community with our immigrant population was to sit at a table and share a meal. We offer access to technology, assistance translating, help with job placement, and English learning programs in person and at home. It is open to anyone and completely free. We have a delicious meal, play games, talk about family, and learn English and Spanish together. It opens our eyes to new cultures and helps us identify at-risk populations. CIT has also helped us make our community more inclusive to non-English speaking residents who are helping our agriculture, education, and healthcare industries grow! Our group recently completed the beginner course of our English lessons!
