Philanthropy Today
Philanthropy Today
Big Lakes Developmental Center on the GMCF Community Hour Show Episode - 261
We sit down with new CEO Liz Holle to map how Big Lakes supports 175 adults with disabilities across four counties, where Medicaid ends, and community giving begins, and how smart tech expands independence without losing human touch. From vans to accessible bathrooms to a gingerbread-themed client party, we share how donors turn essentials into everyday dignity and joy.
• New leadership continuity and mission focus
• Medicaid funding limits and budget realities
• Annual giving campaign Big Improvement priorities
• Statewide and internal waitlists and staffing constraints
• Grow Green Match Day impact on vehicles and access
• Community life through trips, errands, and events
• Remote supports and safety technology adoption
• Raise The Roof results and next facility upgrades
Philanthropy today is brought to you by the Greater Manhattan Community Foundation. In this episode, we feature a recently broadcast segment of the GMCF Community Hour, as heard on News Radio KMAN. We are back with the GMCF Community Hour here on News Radio KMAN. This is the first time I think you have you been on the show before.
SPEAKER_01:One time with Lori. This is my first time solo.
SPEAKER_00:But solo, and now you have the title with it. Yeah. She is Liz Hawley. She is the president and CEO of an organization that's near and dear to my heart, Big Lakes Developmental Center. We've had a lot of fun together doing a lot of things in the past and continue to want to see a lot of great individuals thrive with the assistance that you provide to Big Lakes. And officially, I guess it's still, I mean, you've been in the job for what, six months?
SPEAKER_01:Yeah.
SPEAKER_00:Still congratulations on the new gig.
SPEAKER_01:Thank you.
SPEAKER_00:There's like a window of a year.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, I'm hoping that there's a went year of grace.
SPEAKER_00:A year where people can say congratulations.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, well, just uh of learning all the things, you know, what I don't know yet.
SPEAKER_00:There's got to be a lot to do with that. But you've been there for a long time.
SPEAKER_01:I have. And and Lori's still working with me and contracting with me to help me, you know, learn all the ropes, then thank goodness for that.
SPEAKER_00:Well, there's a lot, especially on the financial side. Yeah, when you talk federal and state dollars, not to mention local things, that are there's all kinds of grants, there's all kinds of things that are out there that that uh that's quite a puzzle to put together.
SPEAKER_01:There's a lot of uh big changes happening as well on the state level that will change how we function. So I'm really grateful to have her to consult with.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, yeah. Well, she's done a remarkable job. And she's she's quite a galley and she is. Yeah, she's always got a smile and and a love for for the mission of Big Lakes. Well, let's talk a bit about uh the giving aspect on the local side. You have an annual giving campaign. We do. And because that's a very vital part of your financial makeup.
SPEAKER_01:Absolutely.
SPEAKER_00:So what are you doing here for this in 2025, year number one, Liz Hawley?
SPEAKER_01:Uh so we have our annual giving campaign called Big Improvement. So it's kind of a play on the home improvement show that yeah. Um, so uh we have 17 group homes. And uh, you know, if you're a homeowner, you understand that maintenance and and upkeep and things can be uh challenging for anybody that owns a home, and we have 17. So um our annual giving campaign is raising money for needed updates and things to remodel homes like flooring and remodeling bathrooms to make them more accessible, because we support clients um from 18 all the way through the rest of their life. So as our clients get um or are starting to age, there's more challenging things that happen with supports and need for accessibility as they age. So uh we're raising money to help us um make all of those um remodel projects.
SPEAKER_00:And you have what, six counties?
SPEAKER_01:Four.
SPEAKER_00:Four counties that you uh do this work in. Do you have an idea of how many individuals you have that you support?
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, so I think we're about 175 is uh how many people we're supporting right now.
SPEAKER_00:There's always a waiting list.
SPEAKER_01:We there's there's a statewide waiting list, uh, which is at uh I think around 4,700 people in the state of Kansas. Um I think there's approximately 125 or so in our four county area that are waiting for for funding for services. We also have an internal wait list um because staffing challenges are are hard. Um so we we're kind of maxed out on what we can who we can support for staff with the staff that we have. So um we have a a wait list for people um once we have enough staff, we'll open more admissions for more clients to come in.
SPEAKER_00:You know, and one of the things is that you know, every entity, and it doesn't matter if it's a nonprofit organization like you, people that are in the healthcare world, retail, construction, every entity is having a challenge in finding staff. Right. And you have to have someone with a special heart to come to work for it's not easy to be.
SPEAKER_01:It's pretty it can be pretty challenging and r s absolutely rewarding. Um, but it's it's not the easiest job. Um and and we um our fund our Medicaid funding, um, 85% of our funding is is Medicaid, and that is what our our uh personnel costs are, is about 85% of our budget.
SPEAKER_00:And with a lot of the things that are happening on a federal level, has that impacted you?
SPEAKER_01:We don't know yet what that's gonna look like. Um it kind of we have to there's a lot of decisions that need to be made at the state level to see how that will impact us.
SPEAKER_00:So anything specific uh coming up with your annual giving campaign?
SPEAKER_01:Uh just just really the the flooring is the first project and then then um some and some bathroom remodels. Then we're gonna be working on some fencing. So um you call you'll see some social media campaigns and things out there that are just gonna be pretty fun with the home improvement, you know, big improvement is the name of it. But um, so it's it's a it's a fun way to help us pay for things that Medicaid um and our our funding from the state and federal levels don't don't pay for.
SPEAKER_00:I also know the Grow Green Match Day is a big day for big lakes as well as you know a hundred other organizations. And and there are a lot of folks that say, hey, hold on, you know, I'll write you a bigger check here coming up on uh April 22, and and you know what that benefits you even more so.
SPEAKER_01:Absolutely. And that's that's a great way because there's match dollars with that with those donations. So it's a way to maximize your donation. And the success of last April allowed us to uh purchase two vans, a 15-passenger van and an additional minivan. So yeah, it was very successful for us. And our our fleet is aging, so um helping with keeping our vehicles running and having operating in reliable vehicles is really important and helpful. So uh only a handful of our clients uh drive. So being able to transport them is really important to how we do services.
SPEAKER_00:And that and that's one of the things a lot of people don't think about all the different logistical things that that are important for these kids to come out and is it okay to call them kids? Do you call them kids?
SPEAKER_01:Uh I don't. We call them clients. Clients, okay, yes.
SPEAKER_00:Okay. So a lot of these clients, you know, they they have to obviously be able to get there, but not just there, but you take them to the grocery store, you'll take them shopping, you'll take them to events, you know, to a game or something like that. So those buses are busy.
SPEAKER_01:Absolutely. Um I kind of think of our our our day center as like a hub of just constant coming and going, which is is pretty awesome to see. And then even in residential, um, that you know, we're going to the Omaha Zoo, we're going to Royals Games, we're going to the grocery store, we're going to community events, we're we're trying to be in the community as much as possible. So um, as well as the needed functions of going to the you know, grocery store, going to the pharmacy, going to any of the places that you need to go to keep your life going.
SPEAKER_00:When you go to the zoo in Omaha, is that an overnight stay or you go and visit for three hours and then come back?
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, they did, they made it in a day trip. So it was pretty it was a really fun trip. There's some pretty awesome uh pictures you can see of that on social media. Yeah.
SPEAKER_00:Well, and that's one of the things it's fun to see because I've gotten to know a lot of these clients of yours. And uh, you know, to see how they are enjoying, you know, they in a lot of ways, they live the best life.
SPEAKER_01:Yes, right.
SPEAKER_00:And and it's because of, you know, you know, and and I don't know what you know about this, but my late wife's sister was Downs. Yeah. And so that was really my first close-up contact with someone who had a disability or, you know, that would have qualified for something like that. And seeing the organization of McPherson that did things for for them and how important that is, and how these these individuals live for those opportunities and that family you create. You I mean it's it's it's it's almost like you're building an entire world for them.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, it's a it's a community. It really is a community. And and then the fellowship between our clients is really just awesome to see. And even I've been there 18 years, and so the things that that they even care about me and checking in about my kids and and stuff just as much as I know their families. And um, it it really does feel like a family and just a community of of good people that it's it's pretty awesome to get to work there every day.
SPEAKER_00:Absolutely. Absolutely. Well, let's talk about some some new projects in the pipeline. What you got cooking?
SPEAKER_01:So we are a part of a new uh project to uh start um remote supports. So it's a way to uh maximize our staffing resources to support as many individuals as possible, as well as um increase independence and safety and self-determination. So it's uh really doing some analysis of what technology is appropriate, what clients it could really benefit. Um, and then having staff that can kind of monitor these sensors and different um different types of technology to help maximize how we're able to support them and help them to be more independent without uh staff having to be necessarily there with them all the time.
SPEAKER_00:How's the technology in the last few years changed the work you do at Big Lakes?
SPEAKER_01:Uh it's it's amazing. You know, there's um, for example, with our our some of our staffing resources, um we we have a home that we were trying to see if we needed a somebody to hire to stay awake all night, which is a very challenging position to fill. And we were able to use uh ring cameras where we have a staff working at another location that's working overnight that can um kind of chime in, uh get in on the camera and talk with the clients and then wake up the staff that's there on premises sleeping if they need to. But it's able to kind of help support all of the people that that are needing support um in a challenging time, you know, and as well as all the technology that's come into um, you know, uh uh sensors for your bed to wake you up if you are hard of hearing, for example, and there's a fire or an alarm to help wake you up, sensors for hot water, uh making sure that it um it's not scalding hot. There's all kinds of things like that. So it's it's pretty cool what we can do.
SPEAKER_00:One of the cool things that you get to do is your client parties. Absolutely. Do a couple of these every year, and I've been a part of those for a really long time, and I and just always so much fun. One of my favorite things to be able to do, and you have your annual client party coming up here in a couple of weeks.
SPEAKER_01:Yes, yes. So we have um a client steering committee that help inform me on on ways that to best serve them and everything we're doing. And and so they make a lot of choices. And this year they've picked the theme for uh gingerbread house. So the whole workshop will look like a gingerbread house, and that's pretty fun. And we'll have a catered meal and a dance. And if you ever get a chance to come to a dance at Big Lakes, our clients just dance with full joy, like no one's watching, and it is the most fun experience you could have.
SPEAKER_00:Aaron Powell Almost makes me jealous that they could they they could do that. Well, everybody else is just like, oh, I don't want them to see me doing it. We should all be more like that. No, no kidding. Yeah. No kidding. But that's just one of the great fun things that you get to do for those clients. And it's a it is a blast, absolutely a blast. Well, you got your raise the roof campaign. Seems like that. That's going to be like an eternal thing for you because you know there is that need for facilities. So anything new there?
SPEAKER_01:Yeah. So uh we we closed out our fundraising part of that. We were successful in raising over$2 million, which was our goal. So that that was really amazing. Um, and we just replaced an HVAC unit, and we're getting ready um in the next month to have one of our main breakers replaced. And uh we are in a planning process for figuring out all of the remodeling that we need to do on our interior uh day center and and uh main office. So that's the the next phase of that campaign. And we're really just grateful to everyone that's contributed to that to make that possible.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah. Well, hey, thanks for coming in, visiting us and bringing us up to date. And I and you know, and I I wish our listeners could see the smile on your face, you know, and and that's consistency that carries over from Lori over to Liz, keeping the L thing going. That's a little bit of laughter and lighthearted approach. How about that? Yeah. We'll continue with a lot of L's in in in the world here, but but it it shows that you love what you do and it conveys to the people that you work with, uh, not only staff, but also those clients that uh need that assistance. So thanks to everybody and Merry Christmas, happy holidays to everybody, and have fun with all those gingerbread men.
SPEAKER_01:Absolutely.
SPEAKER_00:Our next break, uh, or our next guest, Kent Foster and Victor Steiner, will be joining us on behalf of the Manhattan Kiwanas Club. This is the GMCF Community Hour. We do this every Monday morning at 10 here on News Radio KMAN.