For Our Community
A resource for every neighbor.
Below you'll find a curated directory of trusted programs, helplines, and organizations serving the communities we walk alongside every day. Use the category links to jump to the section that fits your need.
Links and contact information are provided in good faith and may change. If you find an outdated link, please let us know.
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24/7 & urgent resourcesStrongHearts Native Helpline
A 24/7 confidential, anonymous, and culturally centered national domestic, dating, and sexual violence helpline specifically built by and for Native Americans and Alaska Natives.
Jayhawk Area Agency on Aging (JAAA)
The premier regional resource pipeline for seniors. Provides case management, caregiver support programs, Senior Health Insurance Counseling for Kansas (SHICK), and independent living options.
Kansas DCF — Senior Prescription Drug Assistance
Connects income-eligible seniors with financial subsidies to offset the high costs of life-sustaining prescription medications.
Statewide Benefits Line
Toll-free statewide benefits line — press the Prescription Assistance option when prompted.
Harvesters Community Food Network — Mobile Food Pantry
Interactive mobile food distribution network locator specifically mapped to the food desert pockets within the 66605 and 66607 ZIP codes.
Kansas DCF — SNAP Benefits Portal
Direct access point to apply for the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (food assistance) to aid low-income households.
Topeka Rescue Mission (TRM) — Distribution Center
Supplies emergency groceries, household hardware supplies, and direct community food box distributions.
Doorstep, Inc.
Provides immediate short-term emergency services including an emergency client food pantry, clothing bank, and local transit and gas vouchers.
Topeka Housing Authority (THA)
Central navigational portal for Section 8 housing vouchers, public housing program applications, and long-term tenant rental stability.
Community Action, Inc. (Topeka)
Manages regional weatherization infrastructure grants and emergency utility matching funds through the Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP).
Equity Access Shelter (EAS) — Single Point of Entry
Topeka's unified single-point-of-contact hotline screening and triaging families for immediate emergency housing, mortgage crisis aid, and rapid re-housing programs.
Kansas Legal Services — Topeka Office
Crucial, low-cost or free civil legal aid for low-income Kansans, specializing in tenant rights, eviction defense, domestic safety legal protection, and public benefit appeals.
Crisis Text Line
Free, confidential 24/7 crisis counseling entirely over text. Text HOME to 741741 to connect with a trained Crisis Counselor within minutes — no call required.
Text HOME to 741741
Valeo Behavioral Health Care
Topeka's primary community behavioral health center — offering psychiatric care, outpatient counseling, substance use treatment, and a 24/7 crisis line for Shawnee County residents regardless of insurance or ability to pay.
SAMHSA National Helpline
A 24/7, 365-day-a-year, free, and completely confidential treatment referral and information service — available in English and Spanish — for individuals and family members facing substance use disorders.
TTY: 1-800-487-4889
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
While widely known for mental health, 988 is fully equipped for immediate substance use and addiction-related crises. Free, confidential support is available 24/7 — call or text.
Indigenous & Tribal Citizen Community
Domestic Violence, Safety & Advocacy
StrongHearts Native Helpline
A 24/7 confidential, anonymous, and culturally centered national domestic, dating, and sexual violence helpline specifically built by and for Native Americans and Alaska Natives.
Cultural Equity, Arts & Creative Incubators
Kansas Department of Commerce — Indigenous Arts Initiative (IAI)
Supports collaborative, mentor-based workshops and masterclasses featuring mid-career visiting Native artists to scale creative capacities.
Tonantzin Society
A grassroots arts services organization in Northeast Topeka dedicated to preserving and educating on local Indigenous and multicultural heritage through creative advocacy and environmental justice.
Professional & Micro-Enterprise Development
Washburn Small Business Development Center (SBDC)
Free, confidential business counseling emphasizing artisan business structures, specialized minority and tribal-owned enterprise certifications, LLC setup, and tax mapping.
Regional Tribal Government Portals
Direct portal links to local sovereign nations for enrollment verification, specialized health clinics, and tribal community services across Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma.
Sac and Fox Nation of Missouri in Kansas and Nebraska
Kansas Office of Native American Affairs (KNAA)
Elder & Senior Citizen Community
Senior Advocacy, Health & Independent Living
Jayhawk Area Agency on Aging (JAAA)
The premier regional resource pipeline for seniors. Provides case management, caregiver support programs, Senior Health Insurance Counseling for Kansas (SHICK), and independent living options.
Topeka Senior Center — Meals on Wheels
Coordinates hot, nutritious meal deliveries and operational wellness checks directly to homebound elders, alongside active senior companion networks.
Senior Health Clinic — Shawnee County Health Department
Offers specialized healthcare tracking, immunizations, and preventive chronic care management tailored for senior wellness.
Kansas DCF — Senior Prescription Drug Assistance
Connects income-eligible seniors with financial subsidies to offset the high costs of life-sustaining prescription medications.
Statewide Benefits Line
Toll-free statewide benefits line — press the Prescription Assistance option when prompted.
SE Topeka & Highland Park Community
Employment & Neighborhood Vocational Training
Washburn Tech East
Located directly within the SE Topeka neighborhood, providing localized technical training pipelines, commercial drivers licensing (CDL), and vocational certification courses to accelerate workforce integration.
Food & Nutritional Security
Harvesters Community Food Network — Mobile Food Pantry
Interactive mobile food distribution network locator specifically mapped to the food desert pockets within the 66605 and 66607 ZIP codes.
Youth Community — Underserved Youth & Families
Academic Advocacy & Indigenous Youth Pathways
Topeka Public Schools — Title VI Native American Education Program
Connects Native students districtwide with structural academic advocacy, ACT registration assistance, community resource bridges, and the culturally rich Indian Education Summer School at Jardine.
Youth Workforce Development
Kansas WorkforceONE — Youth Workforce Initiative
Tailored resource guides, skill-building opportunities, and career pipelines explicitly built for local youth and young adults to enter high-wage industries.
Child Care Costs & Safety Programs
Child Care Aware of Eastern Kansas
Assists parents in finding and applying for child care financial assistance, subsidies, and localized parenting resources.
Topeka Fire Department / Safe Kids Shawnee County — Car Seat Program
Provides free or low-cost car seat inspections and distribution programs for qualifying income-eligible families to ensure child passenger safety.
Rural Community
Agricultural Extension & Rural Vitality
K-State Research and Extension — Shawnee County Office
Provides localized technical agricultural guidance, community health circles, youth development (4-H), and rural small business counseling.
Greater Topeka Community
General Employment Assistance
KansasWorks — Topeka Workforce Center
Full-scale access to physical and digital job boards, comprehensive resume-building tools, career coaching, and dedicated veterans' employment services.
Let's Help
Provides adult education, GED preparatory classes, professional literacy training, and direct job placement support.
Food & Nutritional Security
Kansas DCF — SNAP Benefits Portal
Direct access point to apply for the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (food assistance) to aid low-income households.
Shawnee County Health Department — WIC Program
The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children — federal funding for nutritious foods, healthcare referrals, and nutrition education for pregnant or postpartum women and infants.
Topeka Rescue Mission (TRM) — Distribution Center
Supplies emergency groceries, household hardware supplies, and direct community food box distributions.
Doorstep, Inc.
Provides immediate short-term emergency services including an emergency client food pantry, clothing bank, and local transit and gas vouchers.
Housing, Rent & Utility Assistance
Topeka Housing Authority (THA)
Central navigational portal for Section 8 housing vouchers, public housing program applications, and long-term tenant rental stability.
Community Action, Inc. (Topeka)
Manages regional weatherization infrastructure grants and emergency utility matching funds through the Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP).
Equity Access Shelter (EAS) — Single Point of Entry
Topeka's unified single-point-of-contact hotline screening and triaging families for immediate emergency housing, mortgage crisis aid, and rapid re-housing programs.
Legal Services & Advocacy
Kansas Legal Services — Topeka Office
Crucial, low-cost or free civil legal aid for low-income Kansans, specializing in tenant rights, eviction defense, domestic safety legal protection, and public benefit appeals.
Digital Equity & Technological Access
Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library (TSCPL) — Digital Hubs
Community computer lab footprints, free high-speed public Wi-Fi zones, hardware access, and digital literacy classes ensuring residents have zero-cost connectivity nearby.
Mental Health & Crisis Support
Immediate Crisis Lines
Crisis Text Line
Free, confidential 24/7 crisis counseling entirely over text. Text HOME to 741741 to connect with a trained Crisis Counselor within minutes — no call required.
Text HOME to 741741
National Organizations
NAMI Helpline — National Alliance on Mental Illness
Free peer-support information, referrals, and resource navigation for individuals and families affected by mental illness. Staffed by trained volunteers with lived experience.
NAMI Kansas
The Kansas state affiliate of NAMI — connecting Kansans to local support groups, education programs, and statewide mental health advocacy resources.
Local Shawnee County Services
Valeo Behavioral Health Care
Topeka's primary community behavioral health center — offering psychiatric care, outpatient counseling, substance use treatment, and a 24/7 crisis line for Shawnee County residents regardless of insurance or ability to pay.
Shawnee County Health Department — Behavioral Health
County public health services including behavioral health screening, referrals, and connection to community mental wellness programs for uninsured and low-income residents.
Addiction & Substance Use Support
Immediate Crisis & Helplines
SAMHSA National Helpline
A 24/7, 365-day-a-year, free, and completely confidential treatment referral and information service — available in English and Spanish — for individuals and family members facing substance use disorders.
TTY: 1-800-487-4889
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
While widely known for mental health, 988 is fully equipped for immediate substance use and addiction-related crises. Free, confidential support is available 24/7 — call or text.
Local Treatment & Provider Locators
FindTreatment.gov
The official confidential federal directory run by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Search for state-licensed substance use and alcohol detox, residential, or outpatient programs by zip code.
SAMHSA Opioid Treatment Program Directory
A dedicated locator for certified Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) programs and local clinics specializing in opioid use disorder and recovery.
Peer Support & Mutual Aid Networks
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) — Meeting Finder
Locate local and virtual hybrid AA recovery meetings worldwide through the official AA meeting search directory.
Narcotics Anonymous (NA) — Meeting Search
Find community-based fellowship and support groups for drug dependency through the NA worldwide meeting search tool.
Al-Anon & Nar-Anon Family Groups
Dedicated support networks for the friends and families of those struggling with addiction — because recovery impacts everyone in the circle.
Need help finding the right resource?
Reach out to CLM Outreach directly — we'll help you navigate to the right program, partner, or pathway.
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