Leavenworth County nonprofit receives top award to help children in foster care
LINWOOD, Kan. – Joy Meadows provides foster and adopted kids and their families housing, resources and community support. Now they are getting some big financial support of their own.
The Linwood, Kansas nonprofit will receive $350,000 to help children in the foster care system. Tuesday it was announced as Chick-fil-A’s 2024 S. Truett Cathy Honoree, the fast-food chain’s top award named for its founder.
FOX4 first told you about Joy Meadows in 2019, when a foster care community with homes and a resource center was just a vision. It stemmed from Sarah and Justin Oberndorfer’s time as foster parents during a time of crisis in the state of Kansas.
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“Where there were kids moving homes, one night placements, kids sleeping in offices, we already had 7-8 kids in our home and would still get the call for more children,” Sarah said.
Five years later the 38 acre campus has three homes, a community center that offers therapy and horses. Joy Meadows impacted 6,500 foster care kids and their families on site last year.
Their work caught the attention of a Lenexa Chick-fil-A Operator who nominated them for a True Inspiration Award. There was online voting and they were named Regional Finalists.
Then the day before Joy Meadows on site Christmas party, Chick-fil-A called and said they wanted to decorate for the party and provide lunch for the staff.
“When we got to the luncheon a big cow came out along with a giant check and they announced we weren’t just a finalist for that grant application we were actually the national winner of the award.” Sarah explained.
“I was thinking it was between $30,000 and $200,000 and to find out we won the whole nation just blew me away. Out of 2,100 organizations that applied for this they picked Joy Meadows,” Justin said.
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That $350,000 prize is more than a third of annual operating budget for the organization.
“When I look at a number like that I think that just doubles the number of children that we can impact and offer day camp to and horse sessions and more clothing and all of that support that they need. It’s not just dollar signs it’s actually child’s lives,” Sarah said.
“It’s nothing short of a miracle for any nonprofit to continue after five years. But for us to continue to thrive and grow it’s a real testament to what we stand for and what we believe at Joy Meadows,” Justin said.
Fifty-one nonprofits in the U.S. Canada and Puerto Rico received more than $5 million in grants. Youth Volunteer Corps of Kansas City was a Midwest Regional Winner.
