More than 90,000 children in the state face food insecurity, and school meals are one of the most effective ways to give low-income students guaranteed access to food. Read more here.
Kansas Appleseed Research
Facts & Figures for a Fair Future
Statewide Efforts, Backed by Focused Research
Our staff works statewide, defending rights in all Kansas communities, including the ones in which they live. As we engage with Kansas legislators and Kansans in every county, we gather resources, collate information, and create useful reports that give accurate views on the issues at hand.
We also employ a research and policy analyst, delivering high-quality research to drive real change in Kansas communities and give a voice to the people which policy actions affect most.
Publications
Southeast Kansans are stepping up to increase food access, but soup kitchens and food pantries aren’t enough. Policy change is needed and voting is one way the people of SEK can use their power for increased food access in their communities. Read more here.
A policy update on progress made to adavnace legislation on ending driver’s license suspensions for unpaid fines and fees during the 2021 Legislative Session. Read more here.
Intentional disenfranchisement of voters makes it harder for Kansans to impact and advocate for the policies that shape our health, schools, homes, and neighborhoods. Read more here.
This report discusses how COVID-19 impacted Kansans’ access to what we need to survive, ways communities and programs stepped up to fill the gaps, and opportunities to help Kansans not only recover from the pandemic but thrive. Read more here.
Resources
SOUL Family Legal Permanency Program
In partnership with the Annie E. Casey Foundation, this program was designed by and for young people in foster care to reflect their vision of family and supportive adult networks.
Strengthen Families Rebuild Hope
Kansas Appleseed is a part of the Strengthen Families Rebuild Hope (SFRH) coalition, an independent coalition formed in 2018 advocating for a better foster care system for Kansas kids. The coalition has convened town halls, produced reports on the status of Kansas’s foster care system, and advocated for statewide reforms. SFRH is comprised of youth who have experienced foster care, foster parents, social workers, and other allies.
Litigation Partners
The fight to reform our state’s foster care system isn’t just important to Kansans; it is also important across the country. In our 2018 lawsuit (M.B. v. Howard), we partnered with these individuals and organizations to transform the broken foster care system and end years of victimization and trauma for Kansas children.
Lori Burns-Bucklew is a Kansas City attorney in private practice. She graduated from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law and began practicing in 1984. An accredited Child Welfare Law Specialist, she has represented children and youth, as well as parents, grandparents, and other caregivers for children whose families are subjected to state intervention. She has served as class counsel in several civil rights class action matters on behalf of children in state care. She has trained hundreds of lawyers in the Kansas City metropolitan region regarding child welfare law and children’s issues.
The National Center for Youth Law is a non-profit law firm that helps low-income children achieve their potential by transforming the public agencies that serve them. For more information, please visit www.youthlaw.org.
Every day, children are harmed in America’s broken child welfare, juvenile justice, education, and healthcare systems. Through relentless, strategic advocacy and legal action, we hold governments accountable for keeping kids safe and healthy. Children’s Rights, a national non-profit organization, has made a lasting impact for hundreds of thousands of vulnerable children. For more information, please visit www.childrensrights.org
DLA Piper is a global law firm with lawyers located in more than 40 countries to help clients with their legal needs around the world. DLA Piper has a long-standing and deep commitment to giving back to our communities through pro bono legal services, and it is one of the largest providers of pro bono legal services globally. www.dlapiper.com
A Clear Vision of the Future for Kansas
Thriving
All Kansans should have the resources they need to support themselves and raise healthy families.
Inclusive
All Kansans should be able to participate fully in their communities.
Just
All Kansans benefit from a fair and effective system of justice.
Join Us in Our Fight to Improve Social Justice in Kansas
In its current form, the Kansas foster care system isn’t good for children, families, or Kansas.
As Kansans, we must work together to build a state that cares for and supports all of its children.
Contact us about advocacy opportunities. We’ll provide the information, strategies, and motivation to create a supportive system that safely brings these beautiful children home.
Frequently Asked Questions
We offer research reports on broad-scope topics that affect inclusivity, social justice, and the ability to thrive in Kansas. Though the specific issues are many, the general scope includes:
- Child Welfare
- Youth Justice
- Adult Justice
- Integrated Voter Engagement
- Food Assistance
- Child Nutrition Programs
- And more.
Contact us with your questions about the information you need and/or information you can share.
There are several things you can do to help us fight hunger, voter suppressions, and injustice. First, you can support our efforts through donations. Any amount helps us move all Kansans forward.
Another extremely important support is through sharing your stories and experiences. As we put real people behind the data, it becomes one of the most effective ways to shift people’s thinking, impact change, and develop solutions to hunger in our communities, voter suppression in our state, and injustice in our systems.
We personalize data to understand the real people legislation affects. With these in hand, Kansas Appleseed and like-minded organizations can change the narrative and identify the solutions WE know will work for us.
We have many links on our pages to our research and reports. If you can’t find what you need, contact us and we’ll do our best to guide you to the data you need to promote positive change in Kansas.