Advocacy & Outreach
What Is Advocacy?
Advocacy is public support for or recommendation of a particular cause or policy.
It can take many forms, from organized campaigns and grassroots movements to individual efforts and social media activism. Effective advocacy often involves raising awareness, educating the public, and influencing decision-makers to bring about positive change. Passionate advocates dedicate time and resources to their causes, striving to create a more just and equitable society. Whether it’s fighting for environmental protection, human rights, healthcare access, or education reform, advocacy plays a crucial role in shaping policies and fostering a sense of community and shared responsibility.
LOCAL POLICIES
LOCAL POLICIES
Thrive is wholeheartedly dedicated to advocating for policies that facilitate improved access to health resources, recreational activities, and enhanced safety within the communities we serve. This commitment often entails appealing at the state level for initiatives that we are passionate about, such as Medicaid expansion. Nonetheless, we place significant emphasis on fostering positive change at the local level as well. Below are some local initiatives that we have successfully championed:
Visit ExpandKancare.com to learn more about Medicaid Expansion and how it would benefit Kansans.
In 2016, Iola became only the third city in Kansas to enact a policy preventing people under age 21 from purchasing all tobacco products, with the aim of avoiding this expensive and debilitating addiction.
See also: General Ordinance 3455 (PDF)
In 2016, Iola became the ninth Kansas community to adopt Complete Streets provisions, which commits the city to improving active transportation infrastructure. Iola is by far the smallest and most rural community in the state to adopt Complete Streets, setting a new standard for progressive transportation policy in small-town Kansas.
Read the full text of the Iola Complete Streets Policy (PDF)
The Allen County GROW (Growing Rural Opportunities Works) Food and Farm Council works to establish policies and behaviors that increase access to affordable, nutritious and safe food for Allen County residents. The council was established by an Allen County Commissioners’ resolution in August 2014.
Thrive has worked with school districts throughout Allen County to promote and encourage use of school facilities like gymnasiums and playgrounds by the community as a whole when they’re not in active use for school purposes.
Thrive has secured passage of tobacco restrictions on parks and trails in the cities of Humboldt and Iola, and at all of the Allen County Farmers’ Market locations.
Thrive joined other members of the Allen County Rural Health Initiative in successfully pushing for a “cold weather rule” to prevent utility shutoffs when temperatures drop below freezing.
Thrive led the effort to secure nearly $400,000 in public incentives needed for the construction of a new G&W Foods Supermarket on the former Allen County Hospital site in downtown Iola. This project will result in one of the only new supermarkets being constructed in a USDA-designated “food desert” nationally, and will bring 40 new jobs, plus sales tax revenues to Allen County.
Lehigh Portland State Park is the product of a years-long project led by Thrive and Iola Industries. The land was donated to the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks in 2023 by Iola Industries, and Thrive is contracted as the Grounds Supervisor for the trails. Lehigh Portland sits on the site of a former cement plant with the area now being a natural sanctuary, sitting on over 360 acres of land with a massive variety of natural sites to see. Everything from deep woodland, Kansas prairie, gorgeous coastal cliffs, and even a cave can be explored in the park. This picturesque place is perfect for outdoor enthusiasts.
Your Voice, Your Story.
Share your story with us.
What are you passionate about? Do you have ideas for ways we can better our community? Whether it’s a local issue or a statewide initiative, we want to hear YOUR voice.
STATEWIDE ADVOCACY
STATEWIDE ADVOCACY
Thrive Kansas
Of 105 counties in Kansas, 98 of them are rural. Their voices need to be heard.
Thrive Kansas is modeled after the award-winning Thrive Allen County which blends health, wellness, and economic development into a strategy for sparking rural growth. The organization, it’s own non-profit, was born out of Thrive Allen County’s advocacy work that soon grew into a statewide initiative advocating for wellness and development initiatives throughout the state.
Thrive Kansas’ Mission:
To advocate on behalf of non-metropolitan communities in the state of Kansas, and to strengthen them by bringing them together to support one another and to create a stronger unified voice, ensuring they are heard and have a seat at the legislative table, and to demonstrate the invaluable role our communities play in our state.
Get Involved:
Help us maintain a strong, unified voice for rural Kansas and join the Thrive Kansas coalition today. Elevate your community’s priorities to a state-wide level! Members of the coalition will have access to quarterly webinars focused on creating positive changes in rural communities and providing concrete examples that can be duplicated, have access to staff who can assist you in implementing and promoting projects that improve your community, and get connected to other rural communities and state policymakers whose decisions impact our quality of life.
Zero To Thrive Kansas
Zero To Thrive is a non-partisan statewide advocacy coalition for all Kansans who believe that every community should have access to the support and investments needed for children, families, and local economies to thrive. Kansas rural communities in particular do not have enough child care to meet the current demand.
SEK Recovery Resources
Southeast Kansas Recovery Resources is a working coalition comprised of agency and/or organization representatives as well as community members at large, located within Southeast Kansas. Members work together to address a variety of issues surrounding substance use disorder (SUD), opioid use disorder (OUD) and addiction.
Kansas CARES Program
Kansas CARES (Coordinating and Assisting Reliable Enrollment Services) offers enrollment assistance services to residents for Marketplace insurance and other health and safety net services such as SNAP food assistance, HUD applications, disability and unemployment, and more.
Join Thrive Kansas:
Meet The Team
Lisse Regehr
President & CEO
Thrive Kansas
Jenny Tatman
Assistant Director
of Thrive Kansas
Logan Stenseng
Policy and Strategic
Initiatives Coordinator
Pempho Moyo
Policy
Coordinator
Lisse Regehr
President and CEO
Lisse Regehr is the President and CEO for Thrive Allen County and Thrive Kansas. Regehr oversaw the Navigator Program at Thrive from 2014 to 2017, building it into a regional force that has reduced the county’s uninsured rate from 21% in 2013 to 9% in 2017—one of the biggest improvements in Kansas. Regehr also oversees Thrive’s efforts to build a statewide rural health advocacy network in Kansas and coordinates engagement with state and local policymakers.
Since becoming CEO in April of 2019, Regehr has led Thrive’s efforts in administering $2.4 million in SPARK funding for Allen County, writing and administering Allen County's $134,000 in CDBG-CV funds, spearheading efforts to recruit Peerless Products to Iola, creating Thrive's non-emergent transportation program, and building on Thrive's free rural bike share program with the addition of pedi-cabs to combat social isolation.
Prior to returning to her hometown of Iola, Regehr worked for nine years with the Sisters of St. Joseph Ministries Foundation in St. Paul, MN, where she was a Planned Giving Officer and Social Networker. Regehr grew the Foundation’s planned giving society by 35%, and as Social Networker, was responsible for all online communications for the Foundation, including social media sites, online giving sites, and e-news distributions.
Contact: lisse@thriveallencounty.org
Jenny Tatman
Assistant Director of Thrive Kansas
Jenny Tatman is the Assistant Director of Thrive Kansas. Jenny is responsible for supervising Thrive Kansas program staff, managing daily operations including overseeing current programs, developing new programs and initiatives, implementing evaluation and sustainability planning, and working with the communications team to create internal and external communications and manage social media platforms. Jenny works with statewide partners to collaborate on advocacy and outreach efforts for rural communities.
Jenny is a graduate of Kansas State University with bachelor’s degree in journalism and public relations and also from Emporia State University with a master’s degree in library science and information management. Before joining the Thrive team, Jenny worked in public libraries for over 10 years, and has a passion for public service and connecting people with the resources they most need.
Jenny lives in her hometown of Lebo, KS with her husband, two children, and three dogs.
Contact: jenny@thriveallencounty.org
Logan Stenseng
Policy and Strategic Initiatives Coordinator
Logan Stenseng is Thrive Allen County’s Policy and Strategic Initiatives Coordinator, overseeing the development of the organization’s public policy program and building relationships with partners statewide. Logan also provides policy research and technical training to community members, as well as educational resources for lawmakers.
Logan graduated from the University of Kansas in 2021. During his time at KU, he served as the Government Relations Director to the Student Senate, as well as worked for several voting rights non-profits. He is originally from El Dorado, Kansas.
Outside of work, Logan loves spending time with friends and family, volunteering, hiking, wood-burning (pyrography), tennis, and exploring new hobbies.
Contact: logan@thriveallencounty.org
Pempho Moyo
Policy Coordinator
Contact: pempho@thriveallencounty.org
Get Involved
Volunteer
Volunteer with Thrive Allen County!
Work on trails, clean up communities,
and build a healthier tomorrow.
Visit our Volunteer Opportunities Page
for more info and to sign-up!
Thrive at Home
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workshops and meetings.
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and enhances health in Allen County
far beyond what grants can fund.