MARC JACOBS
Hutch Post
A Reno County nonprofit that began in a janitor’s closet in the 1970s is moving into a new shared facility designed to better serve residents in need.
First Call for Help is relocating to partner with the Food Bank of Reno County, creating what leaders describe as a one-stop community hub at the food bank’s site near Fourth and Severance in Hutchinson.
“We are so excited,” said Marilyn Graham, executive director of First Call for Help. “I think this would be the answer to Susie Christopher’s dream.”
Graham credited founder Susie Christopher, who started the organization at Memorial Hall with basic hygiene supplies for struggling families. Decades later, the nonprofit operates a wide range of programs assisting Reno County residents.
The move places First Call for Help alongside the Food Bank of Reno County, allowing clients to address multiple needs in one location.
“The food bank will address food needs, and we will pick up with medication, hygiene and other basic supports,” Graham said. “It will benefit the people who need it most.”
A rising demand for assistance
Graham said requests for help have increased significantly in recent years, particularly for prescription medications and hygiene products. The organization now refers to its personal hygiene packages as “dignity kits.”
“People are asking, ‘Do you have soap? Do you have shampoo? Do you have deodorant?’” she said. “The request for help has doubled in the last couple of years, which is frightening.”
First Call for Help is entirely donor-funded and assists with a variety of needs, including eviction prevention, utility shutoffs, out-of-town medical travel, back-to-school supplies and holiday programs such as Teen Christmas. The organization also provides bicycles when possible and connects clients to other local resources if it cannot directly meet a need.
“If we can’t help you, we’re going to listen to your story and find out who can,” Graham said. “Everybody has a story.”
Serving the community
Graham has led the nonprofit for 10 years, initially serving as interim director. Before that, she spent 40 years at Lincoln Elementary School and another decade with the Hutchinson Community Foundation.
“I truly love to help people,” she said. “There are so many problems in our world. Start at home.”
She acknowledged that some residents may not see the level of need in Reno County but said many families live paycheck to paycheck and are one emergency away from financial crisis.
“They’re within 50 cents of that cusp of being considered in poverty,” Graham said. “They’re trying so hard.”
She recalled a woman the organization helped years ago who later returned to donate 49 cents — all she could spare — after finding stable employment.
“I never deposited that,” Graham said. “It’s on my desk. Every morning, the first thing I see is that 49 cents.”
How to help
Donations may be mailed to First Call for Help at P.O. Box 2203, Hutchinson. Financial gifts can be designated for specific programs. Immediate needs include hygiene items such as deodorant, shampoo and laundry detergent.
Graham encouraged residents to support local nonprofits and remain attentive to neighbors who may be struggling.
“Keep your eyes open to the need,” she said. “Find your passion and help where you can.”