United Way of the Plains announces Promise on the Plains

A new investment to build a more equitable community

WICHITA, Kan., Feb. 25, 2022 – As part of Black History Month, United Way of the Plains has announced a new community investment, Promise on the Plains. This initiative will strategically invest financial resources in the Wichita metropolitan region to help close gaps and disparities in health, education, financial stability and basic needs experienced by Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC).

Through Promise on the Plains, United Way aims to invest $100,000 in nonprofit organizations that benefit the BIPOC community. This initiative will work to reduce inequities in the BIPOC nonprofit sector by funding programs and assisting in building organizational capacity to help foster a more just and inclusive community. Grants will intentionally support and strengthen nonprofit organizations serving the BIPOC community, while advancing the work of United Way.

“It is our goal to help create a more inclusive and equitable Wichita. By investing in our communities of color, we are signaling that we believe in the ability for everyone to reach their full potential. This is not a one-and-done venture. We want this initiative to carry on year after year to help our region and the people who live here thrive, while retaining and recruiting the best of all of us,” said Pete Najera, United Way President and CEO.

Promise on the Plains will call for Wichita nonprofits that impact BIPOC communities to apply for funds beginning in April. Recipients will be announced during the community Juneteenth celebration.

“We live in a community that will look very different in 10 to 15 years from now. Sixty percent of our young people in Wichita Public Schools identify as black or brown. Promise on the Plains will help foster conditions in our community now as we create an equitable society that will benefit from their potential,” said Abel Frederic, United Way Vice President of Community Impact.

United Way of the Plains envisions a just, equitable and inclusive community where individuals of all racial and ethnic backgrounds can succeed. Read our diversity, equity and inclusion statement of principle and anti-racism and ethnic discrimination statement at unitedwayplains.org/diversity-inclusion.

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MEDIA CONTACT: Angie Prather, Vice President of Marketing and Chief Community Engagement Officer, (316) 267‑1321, ext. 4105, aprather@unitedwayplains.org

United Way of the Plains is a nonprofit and for-impact organization that focuses on health, education, financial stability and basic needs – the building blocks for a good quality of life and a strong community. Our mission is to improve lives by harnessing the caring power of our community to advance the common good in south central Kansas. Follow us on these social media channels: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and TikTok.