Recovery Connect Ends Operations Dec. 15

(Sedgwick County, Kan.) – Recovery Connect, the Sedgwick County initiative to help residents, small businesses and nonprofits recover from the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, has achieved its purpose and will end operations Friday, Dec. 15, 2023. The community navigator program launched in January 2022 and connected people in need to financial resources available at the local, state and federal levels.

Sedgwick County created Recovery Connect in response to a public survey conducted in May 2021, when residents identified their top financial challenges caused by the pandemic. Housing, child care and employment emerged as primary funding needs.

“It was clear that many people were struggling and didn’t know where to turn,” said Pete Meitzner, Chair of the Sedgwick County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC). “We wanted to create one place they could go for help and find the right resources for their situation.”

Using money from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), Sedgwick County partnered with the Public Policy and Management Center (PPMC) at Wichita State University to coordinate the Recovery Connect program. Through its interactive website, recovery-connect@sedgwick.org, community navigators worked one-on-one with individuals, small businesses and nonprofits to find loans, grants, job training and other services they needed to be successful. More than a dozen organizations, like WSU Tech, Empower, Create Campaign, AB&C Bilingual Resources and NonprofitGo, provided extra support, especially to minority and underserved populations.

In the almost two years since its inception, Recovery Connect served many in our community:

• 4,972 individuals
• 2,063 small businesses
• 1,098 nonprofits
• 929 free workshops/meetings on:
• Small Business Consulting
• Child Care Licensing
• Nonprofit Certification
• Grant Writing

While Recovery Connect has made a difference for those affected by the pandemic, many Sedgwick County residents still need help with housing, rent, utilities and child care. Those seeking assistance from Recovery Connect after Dec. 15 will be referred to existing community resources, like United Way 2-1-1.

“I feel good about the work Recovery Connect has done to help people get back on track after the pandemic,” said Meitzner. “Even though we are stepping out of that role soon, Sedgwick County will continue to support the many agencies who provide a safety net for our citizens.”

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