Our Partners

The Merc Co+Op

Since 1974 The Merc Co+op has provided our community with a place to shop, gather, eat and learn by offering real food and sustainable products at reasonable prices through cooperative ownership and responsible commerce.

Ends articulate the results for which an organization exists, the recipients or beneficiaries of those results and the worth of the results. The Merc Co+op operates with the following Ends. The co-op will be a thriving consumer-owned cooperative in our region that is on the forefront of: 

• Providing access to healthy, local and organic food and products;

• Transforming and nourishing the health of our community;

• Creating a robust, sustainable local food economy; and

• Building a community based on hospitality,generosity and care for the environment

Co-ops are based on values not unlike those we subscribe to individually, including self-responsibility, democracy, equality, honesty and social responsibility.

In addition to these common values, seven basic international principles serve as guidelines to provide a democratic structure for co-ops around the world. Cooperatives provide education and training for members, elected representatives, managers and employees so they can contribute effectively to the development of their cooperative. Members also inform the general public about the nature and benefits of cooperatives. While focusing on member needs, cooperatives work for the sustainable development of communities through policies and programs accepted by the members.

Silver Lake Bank

In business since 1909, all six branches are located within northeast Kansas. The main branch “Jayhawk” is located in the capital city of Topeka. Customer service is a priority at Silver Lake Bank. Every staff member pledges to earn your business each and every day, make banking easy for you and do the right thing with integrity and professionalism. Our staff can make decisions, are accessible and eager to help your business grow. Whether by phone, email or in-person, we go the extra mile to exceed expectations.

DCCCA

DCCCA, Inc. was founded in 1974 in response to community concerns for individuals who struggled with alcohol abuse. In the summer of 1974, the agency began offering alcohol abuse treatment services in Lawrence with an initial budget of $25,000 per year. In the early years of operation, the agency’s two paid staff members spent countless hours on a grassroots communication campaign to make the community aware of the resources now available for people with an alcohol use disorder.

Today, DCCCA’s mission has broadened, covering multiple states and provides social and community services that improve the safety, health, and well-being of those we serve. Through Behavioral Health, Prevention, Traffic Safety, Family Preservation, Foster Care, Quality Improvement and other programs, DCCCA continues to honor its commitment to the community by providing valuable human services that help enrich and improve the quality of life for adults, youth and children.

Lawrence-douglas county housing authority

The Lawrence-Douglas County Housing Authority's main objective is to be good stewards of the housing programs it is charged with managing and administering. Primary to this is the sound management, maintenance and preservation of its public housing inventory according to the highest standards of the housing industry while at the same time providing responsible and responsive assistance to those we serve.

We are committed to serving all our residents, participants, and the public in a manner consistent with the principles of respect, fairness and equity. We are dedicated to insuring that the policies and practices we follow foster both resident responsibility and program integrity. We recognize and seek to balance our duty and responsibility to our residents, our property and the public trust.

lawrence public schools

With a focus on its Excellence, Equity and Engagement goals, Lawrence Public Schools have earned a reputation for offering students an excellent educational experience. Keys to our success: high-quality staff, bright and talented students, actively involved parents, supportive business/community partners, and a resource-rich university community, where education is valued.

Lawrence USD 497 Facts:

• Consolidated by the state of Kansas in 1965.

• Conveniently located on I-70 between the state capital, Topeka, and Kansas City.

• The seventh-largest school district in Kansas. ( Boundary Map )

• One of the city's largest employers with approx. 1,850 employees.

• Serves approx. 12,000 students.

• Offers a Parents as Teachers and tiny-k program (serving families of infants and toddlers to age three).

• Provides a PreKindergarten program located at Kennedy Elementary School.

• Operates 14 elementary schools (Grades K-5), four middle schools (Grades 6-8), and two comprehensive high schools (Grades 9-12).

• Offers career and technical educational opportunities to juniors and seniors attending both high schools at the Lawrence College & Career Center and College and Career Academy.

• Operates the Lawrence Virtual School serving K-12 students throughout Kansas.

• Offers Adult Education Services (adult basic education, ESL, diploma-completion, and GED study and testing) at Centennial Adult Education Center.

Edie Insurance Group

Edie Insurance Group LLC is an independent insurance agency – meaning we do business with multiple insurance companies and compare protection and prices to find the best value for you. We’re not computers – we are real live members of the Lawrence community, and we’re committed to being your advocate in time of need.

Unlike a captive, or direct insurance company who only offers their own proprietary products, our agency is 100% independent of any one company. Many insurance consumers don’t fully understand just how important that really is. When it comes to something as important as insurance, it’s imperative that you work with an agency who has an in-depth knowledge of multiple insurance products, companies, and guidelines — not just one.

Farm to market bread

Since 1993, Farm to Market Bread Co. has been baking quality, all-natural bread in the heart of Kansas City. We are a family-owned and locally-operated wholesale bakery that delivers fresh bread to grocery stores and restaurants every day.

We use time-honored methods like maintaining starter cultures, using natural ingredients, long fermentation processes, hand forming, and baking in a hearth oven. Our recipes and techniques are influenced by the expertise of centuries of artisan bread bakers.

We partner with hunger relief and social services organizations that use our bread to help feed members of our community. We work with volunteers from Harvesters, Nourish KC, Operation Breakthrough, the Southside Activities Center, and other local organizations to pick up any surplus bread.

Mellowfields farm

Mellowfields Farm is located on the eastern edge of Lawrence, KS in the Kansas River Valley. Our certified organic farming practices and direct-to-consumer marketing deliver fresh and nutritious vegetables to the eaters in Lawrence and the Kansas City area.  

Currently, Mellowfields Farm cultivates almost 4 acres of Kansas River bottom soil. Along with a team of employees, we start, plant, cultivate, harvest, and sell over 50 varieties of vegetables for sale directly to eaters through our webstore and farmers market as well as through grocery stores, food hubs, and restaurants.

The Douglas County Community Foundation

The Douglas County Community Foundation (DCCF) was created in 2000 as a tax-exempt public charity for the people of Douglas County, including the cities of Baldwin City, Eudora, Lawrence and Lecompton. We are a community leader convening government agencies, businesses, and nonprofit organizations, and coordinating resources to create positive change.

Our mission is to enrich the quality of life in the communities of Douglas County by: 1) Building philanthropic resources and relationships; 2) Providing attractive options for donors to make philanthropic contributions; 3) Being a catalyst for the betterment of the lives of the citizens of Douglas County. To meet our mission, we offer donors the opportunity to achieve their philanthropic and financial goals by establishing charitable Donor Advised Funds (DAF). The process for setting up the fund is simple, and we provide highly personalized service tailored to the charitable and financial interests of each individual.