The Hutchinson Community Foundation has kicked off the second year of its “Love Where You Live” community empowerment initiative, beginning with a resident perception survey that will remain open through October 17.
Kari Mailloux, with the Foundation, said the survey is designed to gauge how Reno County residents feel about their community, the local economy, and key priority issues. This year, 1,225 residents are being asked to participate, building on the baseline established last year.
“It’s not a quick check-box survey,” Mailloux explained. “We’re asking people to think about how loyal they feel to their community, whether they feel leaders are listening, how they view current and future business conditions, and even what kinds of projects they’d fund if they had $15,000 a year to invest.”
Residents can take the survey online at renosurvey.com, available in English and Spanish, or pick up and return paper copies at city halls, libraries, and the Community Foundation office.
Housing remains a key concern
Last year’s survey identified housing as one of Reno County’s top five issues, a finding echoed during follow-up community workshops. Mailloux said the Foundation, along with city, county, and nonprofit partners, is putting resources into a three-year housing initiative.
That work includes supporting innovative projects like Interfaith Housing’s “mini homes” in South Hutchinson. “We need to address housing across the spectrum—from affordable to upper-income levels—to create a healthy housing continuum,” Mailloux said.
Childcare showing progress
Childcare ranked as the third priority in last year’s survey, though local leaders say significant progress has been made since then. The Reno County Child Care Task Force has added more than 300 new slots in the past three years, aided by American Rescue Plan funds and new partnerships.
Mailloux highlighted the recent launch of the Kids Collective Child Care Network, a nonprofit created to help stabilize the childcare business model, support providers, and pay teachers better.
Turning feedback into action
Once the survey closes, results will be compiled into a benchmarking report for seven Reno County communities, as well as the county overall. Each community will receive its own data, and the Foundation will shift grantmaking priorities to align with residents’ concerns.
“Last year, the survey showed that economic development was a major theme,” Mailloux said. “This year’s results will help us see where we’ve made progress and where more investment is needed.”
For more information about the survey or the Foundation’s initiatives, visit hutchcf.org.