Day: October 1, 2025

The Salvation Army of Olathe is proud to serve families in crisis through the Johnson County Family Lodge, a place where dignity, safety and compassion meet practical support. For families facing houselessness, the Lodge provides not only shelter but also a foundation for rebuilding their lives. But it’s time to expand. Currently, the Family Lodge includes 11 emergency shelter rooms and three transitional housing units. In Olathe, throughout Johnson County and across the Kansas City metro, families continue to struggle with rising housing costs, unexpected job loss and economic challenges that leave many at risk of losing their homes. While the Family Lodge currently serves 14 families at a time, the demand surpasses capacity. Every space filled represents a family given new hope, but every waiting list call is a reminder of the urgent need for more resources. To meet this need, the Salvation Army announced an expansion of four additional transitional housing units will soon be added to the Family Lodge. These new apartments will allow more parents and children to transition out of crisis and begin the journey toward long-term stability. Unlike emergency shelter rooms, transitional housing focuses on equipping families with the tools to thrive independently, addressing barriers like employment, budgeting, childcare and access to permanent housing opportunities. The Olathe City Council unanimously approved the plans for the expansion in late August. The Family Lodge units are designed in an apartment-style layout, these spaces go beyond a temporary roof overhead — they provide privacy for families, a sense of normalcy during a difficult season, and a safe environment for children who often face the heaviest burden in situations of instability. Parents are empowered to focus on next steps, from securing employment to enrolling children in school, all within a supportive, on-site community. “This growth will allow us to welcome even more families, helping them move from crisis into long-term, sustainable housing and strengthening the fabric of our community,” said Captain Cherie Woodard, Salvation Army of Olathe. The impact of the Family Lodge extends far beyond providing beds and meals. Each family receives case management, emotional support, and connections to community resources like counseling, job training and educational opportunities. By investing in these services, the Salvation Army helps families do more than survive — the goal is to enable them to flourish. As families graduate into sustainable housing, the community itself is strengthened. Stable housing reduces reliance on emergency services, improves educational outcomes for children, and fosters stronger, healthier neighborhoods. Every success story begins with the stability that the Family Lodge provides. The expansion of transitional housing units represents more than just physical growth — it reflects a promise to families in Johnson County that their struggles matter and that their futures are worth investing in. While four new units may seem small, each apartment represents a lifeline for parents working hard to provide a better tomorrow for their children. The Salvation Army of Olathe believes that by working together as a community, they can ensure that no family has to face crisis alone. The Family Lodge will continue to serve as a beacon of hope, and with continued support, its impact will only grow stronger in the years ahead.

Evergreen can trace its roots back more than 160 years. Now, they’re putting down some new roots at a brand-new senior living campus on the southeast corner of College Boulevard and Ridgeview Road. The new campus is designed to offer older adults the independence they desire today and the support they may need tomorrow. Scheduled to open in June, the $34 million, 103,000 sq. ft. project completely reimagines what senior living can be. The new community will feature 35 independent living apartments, 20 assisted living studio apartments, 20 assisted living memory care studio apartments and 44 skilled nursing apartments. This full continuum of care ensures that residents can stay at Evergreen even as their needs change over time. “With this new campus, Evergreen is expanding from being primarily a skilled nursing provider into a comprehensive senior living community,” Chris Osborn, Evergreen Community CEO said. “We’re creating modern spaces that combine private apartments, resident-centered amenities, and strong connections to the wider Olathe community. It’s about more than just a building. It’s about belonging.” What began in the late 1800s as an organization striving to provide the best quality person-centered care to individuals regardless of their means, has become a flourishing Evergreen Community with a mission to provide the best quality person centered care to those with minimal financial resources. Evergreen’s vision for the new campus centers on maintaining independence while ensuring access to the right level of support when needed. Residents will enjoy maintenance-free living, a variety of convenient amenities and opportunities to engage in wellness, fitness, and social activities. The design emphasizes connectivity, with welcoming community spaces and programs that help residents stay active in both body and mind. “Evergreen Community has been serving Olathe for decades as a nonprofit dedicated to resident-centered care, regardless of financial resources,” Osborn said. “This new chapter means more options for families, more opportunities for local partnerships, and a lasting investment in the health and heart of our community.” The development was made possible through significant partnerships, including Central Bank of the Midwest and Scenic Development. Evergreen, which currently employs approximately 130 people, anticipates continuing with the same level of staffing in the new community. The expansion represents not only a milestone for Evergreen but also a meaningful investment in Olathe. By providing seniors with a variety of living options in one location, the campus both meets a growing need and enhances the overall vitality of the community. As the project moves forward, Evergreen is focused on delivering more than just new buildings. The goal is a campus that feels like home — one where residents, their families, and the greater community can come together to celebrate connection, care and quality of life.

For the first time in more than a decade, MidAmerica Nazarene University athletes finally have a place to call home. More importantly, for the first time in more than a decade, the MNU football players won’t be dragging their equipment out of their trunks on gameday. The grand opening of the new Copeland Athletic Complex right in the heart of the MNU campus isn’t just about football, though, it’s about community, legacy and the long-awaited return of gameday to campus. There will be a special dedication ceremony tomorrow, Oct. 3, for the complex named in memory of former mayor and MNU graduate, Michael Copeland. The gorgeous new stadium will host its first game on Saturday, Oct. 4. For the MNU community, this project has been years in the making. The football team has been without a home stadium since 2012, practicing on campus but playing games across town. The complex is more than just football, though. Track and field has gone without a practice facility for more than 15 years. In addition to the state-of-the-art football stadium with locker room facilities, concessions stands and outdoor seating, the project features a gorgeous new eight-lane track where the old stadium once sat, on the south side of the complex. “Our track team has won numerous indoor and outdoor conference championships in the last 10-plus years and we haven’t had a facility to train them,” said Todd Garrett, MNU’s Vice President for University Advancement & Athletics. “They’ve been training at middle schools, high schools, ODAC and CBAC. This gives our athletes a place to call home.” Home is what designers had in mind when building the new complex. In addition to the permanent seating, there are plenty of spots for fans to throw down a blanket or set up a lawn chair to watch the game, just like many did at the old MNU stadium. “You can access the hill in the north endzone from inside the stadium. We believe that’ll be another place for families to grab blankets and lawn chairs,” Garrett said. “At the old stadium, the whole endzone was just packed with chairs. So, we kind of feel like we’ve transplanted that concept of family environment.” More than just athletics, it’s about the heartbeat of campus life, according to Garrett. “Having an on-campus stadium is how you establish community. It’s the music, the sound, the energy, the relationships and camaraderie. Without that, you’re in some ways losing that community feel,” he said. Reimagining Recruitment and Experience MNU Athletic Director Ryan Thompson believes the Copeland Athletic Complex will mark a turning point not only with current athletes but also in how prospective students view MNU. “It’s amazing what they’ve done without this complex,” Thompson said. “Now that we have this, I think it’s going to improve our visit days for football and track. It’s not only athletic improvement — I think it’s going to help recruitment for the school overall.” Thompson emphasized the power of gameday spirit as part of MNU’s identity. “Just getting recruits on campus and seeing the energy — I can’t imagine that’s not going to make a significant difference.”   Alumni and City Legacy The sense of homecoming extends beyond current athletes. For alumni, the stadium represents a piece of MNU history restored. “When you come home, as an alum, this is a big part of being home,” said Eric Bryant, MNU Director of Development. “There is a passion in our community here with our alums and friends. MidAmerica has been a big part of this city’s history, and I think Olathe is really excited for us.” Copeland, a beloved alumnus, became a central part of the project’s story. “To know that the late Mike Copeland still has his fingerprints on this institution and our community is tremendous,” Garrett said. “We had a Copeland Task Force as part of our Bright Futures campaign committee. This isn’t just an MNU thing — this is an Olathe thing.” The MNU Bright Futures Campaign – which raised $85 million, $6.5 million over their goal – began nearly a decade ago to help secure funds for improvements on the MNU campus such as the beautiful new Cunningham Student Center and the Mabee Learning Commons, during the first two phases of the campaign and improvements to the old Land Gymnasium building and the Copeland Athletic Complex. It wasn’t just for capital projects, either. In addition to the goals for capital projects, university support and scholarships, campaign leadership expanded the goal for academic programs to enrich students’ scholarly opportunities, funding the following projects: Faculty Development Projects The Center for Academic and Professional Services Expanding Student and Academic Support Services Establishing the Center for Career & Life Calling   Building an Intimate Stadium Creating the Copeland Athletic Complex required the work of committed partners. PGAV Architects, Olsen Engineers and A.L. Huber Construction helped translate MNU’s dreams into reality. “What we envisioned was a very intimate environment that fed into our community and relationships,” Garrett said. “I feel like they nailed it.” Despite challenges with utilities, easements and rock removal, the result is a stadium that seats up to 3,000 but feels close-knit. “You may get that many people here, but it still feels intimate,” Garrett said.   Beyond Football The benefits of the stadium extend to multiple sports and student-athlete life. Baseball, softball, soccer, and track programs now have access to locker rooms for the first time. “This complex is going to benefit a lot of student-athletes,” Garrett said. “We’ve got locker rooms that are going to meet all of our fall and spring sports. They’ve never had that. What a gift.” From the new vantage points, visitors can see the stadium from multiple points on campus and even from the corner of 143rd and Mur-Len. “This gives our institution a completely different footprint,” Garrett said. “It’s going to be more difficult for people to ask, ‘MidAmerica Who?’” A Dream Decades in the Making Conversations about a new stadium began as far back