Latest / Our Community, Our Mission / Ep #302 – Building a Downtown That Benefits Everyone: Meet Jessy Moreno

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Ep #302 – Building a Downtown That Benefits Everyone: Meet Jessy Moreno · Our Community, Our Mission

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_01: Father, we thank you for so many things.
• 0:02
  SPEAKER_01: Uh I think what we are all um grateful for this morning is just um the provisions that uh you made happen uh throughout the warming center um time and we thank you that uh people recognize the importance of life and humanity and for so many people that rallied around um us and our community partners to provide safety and refuge for um people they don't even know, but people that matter.
• 0:34
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you for the resources that you brought in with food and drinks and um linens and warm clothing.
• 0:42
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you, Lord, for stirring hearts of uh donors before the warming center even happened, um, so that we would have thermals and coats uh for people as well.
• 0:53
  SPEAKER_01: God, thank you for um just always coming through in the perfect way, even if it's not my way or the team's way.
• 1:04
  SPEAKER_01: Um, Lord, we know that you are so good and that you're leading everything that we're doing at the rescue mission.
• 1:11
  SPEAKER_01: And we also know you're in the hearts of so many incredible partners throughout our community.
• 1:16
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you for our special guest today, Lord, and I just pray that as she does important work, um, Lord, that you would just remind her that you never leave her.
• 1:25
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and Lord, just help her continue to uh be a bridge for good things happening and more good things that are to come.
• 1:33
  SPEAKER_01: Um and Lord, just thank you for the light that she's been for so many people that she doesn't even know about in regards to just the ripple effect of her kindness, her wisdom, and her leadership.
• 1:46
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, Lord, thank you for uh TRM, our guests, our neighbors, our staff, our donors, and especially our volunteers.
• 1:54
  SPEAKER_01: Uh Lord, just continue to allow us to do what you want us to do for the sake of your good.
• 1:59
  SPEAKER_01: In your name we pray.
• 2:00
  SPEAKER_01: Amen.
• 2:00
  SPEAKER_01: Amen.
• 2:07
  SPEAKER_02: Hello, everybody.
• 2:08
  SPEAKER_02: Thank you for joining us for an edition of Our Community, our mission, a podcast of the Topeka Rescue Mission here on January the 27th of 2026.
• 2:17
  SPEAKER_02: This is episode number 302.
• 2:19
  SPEAKER_02: I'm your host today, Barry Fieker, on this very frigid 20 degrees right now.
• 2:24
  SPEAKER_02: It's actually warm, isn't it?
• 2:26
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, it's actually feeling warm comparatively.
• 2:28
  SPEAKER_02: Um we're here today uh with a very special guest, uh, but also we want to talk about some of those important things that have been happening.
• 2:36
  SPEAKER_02: Got Lamanda Cunningham here, Marion Crable, which are very normal folks here.
• 2:40
  SPEAKER_02: You just survive a very uh intense warming center uh component.
• 2:46
  SPEAKER_02: And so we want to talk about that, talk about our guests.
• 2:48
  SPEAKER_02: But before that, Research and Development Department uh wants us to stay in sync with what has happened um for now over five years.
• 2:56
  SPEAKER_02: Um with what's very, very special about the day of January 27th.
• 3:01
  SPEAKER_02: So uh the first thing we have out of three top ones, uh thank you, Alec, for picking these out.
• 3:06
  SPEAKER_02: Uh it's National Plan for Vacation Day.
• 3:09
  SPEAKER_02: I would say it should be National Vacation Day.
• 3:11
  SPEAKER_02: Not plan.
• 3:12
  SPEAKER_02: Let's get the plan out of the boys.
• 3:13
  SPEAKER_02: That's exactly right.
• 3:15
  SPEAKER_02: So uh Lamanda, is there ever uh really a vacation um when you're doing the job that you're doing?
• 3:21
  SPEAKER_01: No.
• 3:21
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 3:22
  SPEAKER_01: Because even when we have downtime, I feel like our team is so great at taking care of each other and telling each other to tap out and do.
• 3:30
  SPEAKER_01: But the work is just so imprinted on your heart and your mind.
• 3:34
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 3:34
  SPEAKER_01: And so it's almost just like it's our life, like it is who we are.
• 3:39
  SPEAKER_01: We're not separate from the job.
• 3:41
  SPEAKER_01: Instead, the job is our purpose too.
• 3:44
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 3:45
  SPEAKER_01: We do try to fake it though.
• 3:46
  SPEAKER_02: You do try to fake it.
• 3:47
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, how do you fake it?
• 3:49
  SPEAKER_04: You don't answer emails within 10 seconds, you wait for the So true.
• 3:54
  SPEAKER_02: So true.
• 3:54
  SPEAKER_02: Or sell phones or text messages or those things.
• 3:57
  SPEAKER_01: And let me just say, my team always gets caught.
• 4:01
  SPEAKER_01: Always.
• 4:02
  SPEAKER_01: I wish John Roberts was on here.
• 4:05
  SPEAKER_01: But over the warming center, he did 12-hour shifts overnight.
• 4:09
  SPEAKER_01: Marcus did 12-hour shifts during the day.
• 4:12
  SPEAKER_01: So I don't even remember normal day for those guys.
• 4:15
  SPEAKER_02: Yes.
• 4:15
  SPEAKER_02: Uh-huh.
• 4:15
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 4:16
  SPEAKER_01: But it's different.
• 4:17
  SPEAKER_01: It's different.
• 4:19
  SPEAKER_01: And anyways, I don't remember what day it was, but someone else was in the office that I was in, and I looked at him and I said, Who are you talking to?
• 4:26
  SPEAKER_01: And he goes, John.
• 4:28
  SPEAKER_01: And I said, Remind John that he is supposed to be tapped out right now because this is his time off.
• 4:34
  SPEAKER_01: And the individual that was talking in between us said, Oh, John said that this was just a pre-recording of John's voice, leave a message.
• 4:43
  SPEAKER_01: Um, because he had gotten caught.
• 4:45
  SPEAKER_01: So even when they try to fake it, somehow I'm able to figure out they're not really taking vacation.
• 4:51
  SPEAKER_02: Well now we know why it's national plan for vacation.
• 4:53
  SPEAKER_02: It's all a psychological thing that you get to do.
• 4:56
  SPEAKER_02: So, but to make you feel a little bit better, it's also National Chocolate Cake Day.
• 5:00
  SPEAKER_02: So we can do that.
• 5:01
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 5:01
  SPEAKER_02: Right?
• 5:01
  SPEAKER_02: Can we do this?
• 5:02
  SPEAKER_02: Okay.
• 5:03
  SPEAKER_02: All right.
• 5:03
  SPEAKER_02: So, Miriam, do you remember when chocolate cake was first sale?
• 5:06
  SPEAKER_04: No, but I bet you do, and come tell me.
• 5:09
  SPEAKER_02: No, I think uh it was a doctor um and and and another guy uh teamed up together in 1765.
• 5:17
  SPEAKER_02: Oh, wow.
• 5:18
  SPEAKER_02: And that's actually for health purposes because of cocoa.
• 5:20
  SPEAKER_04: And chocolate is relatively healthy.
• 5:22
  SPEAKER_04: Well, it's when you add sugar and other stuff that makes it work.
• 5:27
  SPEAKER_02: It's not so good.
• 5:28
  SPEAKER_02: It's not so good.
• 5:29
  SPEAKER_02: No, it's like medicine.
• 5:30
  SPEAKER_02: Yes, yes.
• 5:30
  SPEAKER_02: So a little spoonful of sugar helps the chocolate medicine banana.
• 5:34
  SPEAKER_02: Okay.
• 5:34
  SPEAKER_02: All right.
• 5:34
  SPEAKER_02: So anyway, so if you're feeling it today and you can get out and get your chocolate cake, and plan for your vacation.
• 5:40
  SPEAKER_02: So one last thing, and I do not know why our research and development department put this in here.
• 5:45
  SPEAKER_02: It's National Green Juice Day.
• 5:47
  SPEAKER_01: National Green Green Day.
• 5:49
  SPEAKER_01: It's got to go against the chocolate cake.
• 5:51
  SPEAKER_02: So you're planning for your vacation.
• 5:52
  SPEAKER_02: You're all excited.
• 5:52
  SPEAKER_02: Have a little chocolate cake, put some green juice in on top of that.
• 5:55
  SPEAKER_02: And what happens, Miriam?
• 5:57
  SPEAKER_02: You're a former nerve.
• 5:58
  SPEAKER_04: I don't even want to think about what might happen.
• 6:00
  SPEAKER_04: That could be bad.
• 6:02
  SPEAKER_02: That could be bad.
• 6:02
  SPEAKER_02: We'll get rid of the chocolate cake day.
• 6:06
  SPEAKER_01: Oh man.
• 6:06
  SPEAKER_01: Okay, so greens are good.
• 6:08
  SPEAKER_01: Green, green is good.
• 6:09
  SPEAKER_01: I have honestly, I have been contemplating a juicer.
• 6:15
  unknown: Okay.
• 6:16
  SPEAKER_00: You don't need one for chocolate cake.
• 6:17
  SPEAKER_01: I know.
• 6:18
  SPEAKER_01: I know.
• 6:18
  SPEAKER_01: I'm afraid I'll buy it and it'll just be another dang thing that's sitting on my counter.
• 6:22
  SPEAKER_01: Just dust it off every once in a while.
• 6:24
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 6:26
  SPEAKER_01: Just buy the juice.
• 6:27
  SPEAKER_01: Okay, that's already.
• 6:36
  SPEAKER_02: They have some National Chocolate Cake Day and then they feel bad about it and they go get some green juice.
• 6:40
  SPEAKER_02: So that it all blends, I guess.
• 6:42
  SPEAKER_02: So anyway, with all that said, thank you for joining us for our very important things about January the 27th.
• 6:47
  SPEAKER_02: Remember next year that it'll be the same.
• 6:50
  SPEAKER_02: So anyway.
• 6:51
  SPEAKER_02: It will.
• 6:52
  SPEAKER_04: But we'll find new ones too.
• 6:53
  SPEAKER_02: We'll find new ones.
• 6:54
  SPEAKER_02: And we don't always be on a Tuesday.
• 6:55
  SPEAKER_02: So we're on a Tuesday right now.
• 6:57
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah, we are.
• 6:57
  SPEAKER_02: So, Lamanda, Miriam, it's been a long haul.
• 7:00
  SPEAKER_02: Um, making decisions about when to um initiate warming centers, um, working with multiple different people, agencies, volunteers, reaching out uh prior to this um very, very dangerous weather that came rolling in and uh brought people in, about 195, last I knew, between several warming centers.
• 7:22
  SPEAKER_02: So um we want to spend time with our guests today, but give us a recap of just the the highlights so people know what it was all about.
• 7:31
  SPEAKER_01: I think Barry, a phrase that comes to my mind is just the impossible was made possible.
• 7:38
  SPEAKER_01: Right?
• 7:38
  SPEAKER_01: Um when you think about the prep that goes into even just communicating to the community, hey, we are watching this storm, trying to do the avocation and the education to say warming centers are truly an emergency response.
• 7:57
  SPEAKER_01: It's it's not just for cold weather, it's not just for snow.
• 8:00
  SPEAKER_01: Um, it's really when there's a combination of severity in all three of those wind chills, temperatures, and precipitation, and just doing the legwork ahead of time, you know, um, letting partners know, letting people know, hey, we're watching this, but we're not quite ready for the decision yet.
• 8:18
  SPEAKER_01: And then when it's go time because the forecast has somewhat stayed the same, or where we're just like, we've got to make this decision so that we have enough prep time for the collaboration to happen.
• 8:29
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and you never really know what all it's gonna look like, yet it always comes together.
• 8:37
  SPEAKER_02: Because you don't have a whole bunch of volunteers doing nothing, waiting for go time.
• 8:41
  SPEAKER_01: Correct.
• 8:42
  SPEAKER_02: But you have a bunch of volunteers that are looking, is it go time and maybe they can help?
• 8:46
  SPEAKER_02: Yes.
• 8:47
  SPEAKER_02: Um, because it takes a lot of volunteer effort.
• 8:49
  SPEAKER_01: It does.
• 8:50
  SPEAKER_01: And, you know, our team and some other teams too, uh, the normal, I say normal, business, right, doesn't stop.
• 8:57
  SPEAKER_01: So we're juggling everything else that we do, but then also pivoting to providing leadership for the community of what does this look like?
• 9:05
  SPEAKER_01: What are the needs?
• 9:06
  SPEAKER_01: Um, finding the balance of trusting the Lord to provide so we're not controlling every outcome.
• 9:12
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but yet also trying to stay on top of what do we need for today?
• 9:17
  SPEAKER_01: Snacks, linens, blankets, uh, volunteers, all of that.
• 9:21
  SPEAKER_01: And so um it's just beautiful too, because I think sometimes I think sometimes what is publicized is often the concerns or um challenges, those kinds of things.
• 9:36
  SPEAKER_01: But to be able to have three to five days of just people really coming together um for often strangers and seeing this more collective understanding of humanity and people, um it's just beautiful.
• 9:56
  SPEAKER_01: And um because of that, you know, we had 195-ish individuals um that were provided refuge and safety and warm meals, maybe a smile, maybe even just um that they had a place to go.
• 10:10
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, several have gone into crisis, several have gone into treatment, those provide challenges.
• 10:17
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, we do not have enough beds and staff for crisis situations or for detox or when people are ready to say yes.
• 10:25
  SPEAKER_01: And so, mixed in this beauty of provision and kindness and compassion, uh, it also sheds a light.
• 10:35
  SPEAKER_01: It sheds a light on um gaps that our system has.
• 10:39
  SPEAKER_01: Um, it sheds lights on even things that maybe TRM needs to do differently.
• 10:44
  SPEAKER_01: We're constantly reflecting on that.
• 10:46
  SPEAKER_01: Um, so yeah, it's it's a beautiful effort.
• 10:49
  SPEAKER_01: It's exhausting.
• 10:51
  SPEAKER_01: Um, it comes with its own set of blessings and stuff where you just shake your head because you're so concerned.
• 11:01
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but everybody just pushes through and rallies together.
• 11:05
  SPEAKER_01: And I'm telling you, the uh the smiles are worth it, the the stories are worth it.
• 11:15
  SPEAKER_01: Um yeah, it's it it's just hard to put into words.
• 11:21
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and it makes every sleepless night worth it, it makes every Facebook Live worth it, it makes um the chaos of home base when Miriam and I are running eight different, you know, all the back support type stuff and safety stuff or the eight teams that's all out of the Shawnee community, and it just it makes it worth it, but it is definitely um an operation that takes everybody for it to be successful.
• 11:48
  SPEAKER_02: So during all this time, you still have Topeka Rescue Mission operations that are going on.
• 11:52
  SPEAKER_02: You have 245 to 250 people in shelter.
• 11:55
  SPEAKER_02: Correct.
• 11:56
  SPEAKER_02: Another 195 coming off the streets um who normally don't find shelter, um, either due to space or congregate uh they can't tolerate being around a bunch of people or whatever the case might be.
• 12:08
  SPEAKER_02: Resources aren't necessarily there except in temporary situations like this, all hands on deck.
• 12:13
  SPEAKER_02: Um so a whole lot of people doing a whole lot of work without anything stopping to just do this.
• 12:19
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah, nothing else stops.
• 12:20
  SPEAKER_02: Nothing else stops.
• 12:21
  SPEAKER_02: And so you can't let go of this to go take care of that.
• 12:24
  SPEAKER_02: You have to do it in addition to that too.
• 12:27
  SPEAKER_02: So so um just real quick reflection before we get to our guest, what kind of reflection did you get from the people coming in from outdoors?
• 12:36
  SPEAKER_02: Uh you talk about smiles, I assume that's on both sides, people are helping and people who are receiving the help.
• 12:41
  SPEAKER_02: But what kind of comments or what kind of perception did you even have time to slow down enough logistically to see what was happening with relationships?
• 12:52
  SPEAKER_01: You know, I think it's important, Barry, to note that um some of these individuals are uh very heavily into struggle, whether that is um mental illness, and so we do have people in here that can't even carry on a conversation with us.
• 13:09
  SPEAKER_01: Um we have individuals who um are in the midst of addiction, and so the first several hours with us, maybe even a day or two, they they are detoxing with us, and so that brings forth challenges.
• 13:24
  SPEAKER_01: Um those things are very real.
• 13:26
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, we have people in here that have paranoia, we have uh people in here who are scared, so all of that is there, and I don't want to um overlook that, but also uh we have people who are helping that that come in for our service and turn around and they're the biggest helpers.
• 13:47
  SPEAKER_02: They are moving on the streets, coming to help.
• 13:49
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and they recognize it, and so they want to do, and so I mean, we would see people that were coming in here to use the service, but they were wiping down things and cleaning things and holding doors open for people.
• 14:00
  SPEAKER_01: Shoveling.
• 14:01
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, doing the sidewalks, and so lots of gratitude.
• 14:06
  SPEAKER_01: Um, you know, I think the first 24 hours or so, everybody is either tired, they're kind of resting because they know they're safe, um, or they are kind of untrusting, right?
• 14:18
  SPEAKER_01: And they're they're trying to figure this out.
• 14:20
  SPEAKER_01: But then what blossoms from that is people start talking and they start sharing their story.
• 14:25
  SPEAKER_01: And so lots of people expressing thankfulness, a lot of people helping, but also the thing that speaks to me is if someone tells you any part of their story, that is the most humbling thing.
• 14:39
  SPEAKER_01: So even if they didn't say thank you, which so many did, the fact that they would trust us enough to say this is part of my story or this is what I'm struggling with, it's huge.
• 14:49
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and the thing that I want to say too is um right now we have a lot of people that that accessed our services that were just so grateful.
• 14:59
  SPEAKER_01: Uh but we never know what's coming, right?
• 15:03
  SPEAKER_01: And and we want to anticipate that.
• 15:05
  SPEAKER_01: And so our very first warming center we did, we had an individual there who could not hold on a conversation uh for a variety of reasons.
• 15:13
  SPEAKER_01: And uh I bent all the rules for him because I was so scared he was gonna go back outside.
• 15:20
  SPEAKER_01: And I just wanted him inside, warm, and safe.
• 15:23
  SPEAKER_01: If not, we were gonna be chasing him down because yeah, you just see somebody, you can look at somebody and you can say they're in middle crisis, you can look at them and say they're a burden, you can look at them and say it's a nuisance, or you can look at them and say, I'm gonna try to protect them because they are so out of their mind that they don't know.
• 15:39
  SPEAKER_01: I see that as a vulnerability.
• 15:40
  SPEAKER_01: Anyways, this individual came in the first one and couldn't talk or anything.
• 15:44
  SPEAKER_01: And this time in our briefing, another partner shared that individual is now housed, has been housed for a year, and is involved in all sorts of activities that he's involved in.
• 15:56
  SPEAKER_01: So he's also show social.
• 15:58
  SPEAKER_01: And I'm like, he came in at first, and you would just never think that.
• 16:04
  SPEAKER_01: So, yes, a lot of people thankful, but I also am just so excited to see maybe the people that couldn't express it, or maybe the people that were still heavy in addiction or uh mental health um concerns in our warming center this past week.
• 16:18
  SPEAKER_01: I can't wait to see what success story they're gonna be a year from now.
• 16:21
  SPEAKER_02: So a lot of times it's a bridge through crisis to be able to maybe help people to see that there are people that care.
• 16:29
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 16:29
  SPEAKER_02: Well, more to come probably on that.
• 16:31
  SPEAKER_02: We're not out of winter yet, so uh hopefully we won't have more of this, right?
• 16:36
  SPEAKER_02: So let's pivot to uh Lamanda Miriam.
• 16:40
  SPEAKER_02: Um a big part of Topeka Rescue Mission isn't just over here in North Topeka, sitting on an island on the other side of the tracks, so to speak.
• 16:47
  SPEAKER_02: Uh there is an importance of relationships throughout the entire community, but in particular a couple of different business districts.
• 16:54
  SPEAKER_02: One is the Noto and one is downtown.
• 16:57
  SPEAKER_02: And so, Miriam, you serve on the downtown Topeka um board.
• 17:02
  SPEAKER_02: I do.
• 17:02
  SPEAKER_02: And so why do you do that?
• 17:05
  SPEAKER_04: I think it's really important.
• 17:06
  SPEAKER_04: I think it's important because um the more we work together um to help identify some of the situations that might be caused by people who are experiencing homelessness, the way we work together makes a huge difference in terms of how we can help people.
• 17:23
  SPEAKER_04: Um and so it's been wonderful to build the partnership, to get to know people.
• 17:27
  SPEAKER_04: It's also good for me to be on the board um to hear what some of the other kinds of things are.
• 17:33
  SPEAKER_02: Not just about homeless, but about development and exactly cool stuff.
• 17:37
  SPEAKER_04: All the things that are going on downtown.
• 17:38
  SPEAKER_02: Right.
• 17:39
  SPEAKER_04: Um so that's important.
• 17:40
  SPEAKER_04: I also sit on the Noto board.
• 17:43
  SPEAKER_04: And so it is kind of this beautiful bridge on how do these two districts work together.
• 17:48
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah.
• 17:49
  SPEAKER_04: Um so I get to wear that seems to be a theme with me.
• 17:52
  SPEAKER_04: I get to wear multiple hats in these different meetings.
• 17:55
  SPEAKER_02: That is your thing, Mary.
• 17:56
  SPEAKER_02: That is my thing.
• 17:56
  SPEAKER_02: It's been that way for a very, very long time.
• 17:58
  SPEAKER_02: So, yes, so the Topeka Rescue Mission, unfortunately, gets to be a part of all that.
• 18:02
  SPEAKER_02: Yes, and it sounds like um um, and we're honored to.
• 18:05
  SPEAKER_02: We've been talking about a bridge across the river, and so you are that bridge, right?
• 18:08
  SPEAKER_02: Okay.
• 18:08
  SPEAKER_02: So I don't know.
• 18:10
  SPEAKER_02: No towing downtown.
• 18:11
  SPEAKER_02: Hey, let's save a lot of money.
• 18:13
  SPEAKER_02: So another subject, another time.
• 18:16
  SPEAKER_02: Well, we are very fortunate to have um the uh manager of the downtown Topeka, Jesse Marino, today with us.
• 18:22
  SPEAKER_02: Jesse, this is the first time you and I have met that I recall today, and I've heard so many good things about you.
• 18:29
  SPEAKER_02: Uh you've been in your position for a couple of years.
• 18:31
  SPEAKER_02: And so we want to tell us a little bit about your story.
• 18:33
  SPEAKER_02: But first of all, welcome to our community.
• 18:35
  SPEAKER_03: No, thank you.
• 18:35
  SPEAKER_03: Thank you for having us.
• 18:36
  SPEAKER_03: Of course it's been a blast and uh for having learned so much.
• 18:40
  SPEAKER_02: Okay.
• 18:40
  SPEAKER_02: So so I'm gonna let them tell everybody why they think so highly of you and why I've heard good things.
• 18:47
  SPEAKER_02: But talk about your job.
• 18:48
  SPEAKER_02: What do you do?
• 18:49
  SPEAKER_02: Why is this important to you?
• 18:50
  SPEAKER_02: You've been in a couple of years now.
• 18:52
  SPEAKER_02: Before this, you were um in Medicaid.
• 18:54
  SPEAKER_02: Yes.
• 18:54
  SPEAKER_02: Wow, that's exciting.
• 18:56
  SPEAKER_02: Um but now you've moved over into getting involved in community.
• 19:01
  SPEAKER_02: Talk about your job and why you made this move.
• 19:04
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, absolutely.
• 19:05
  SPEAKER_03: So I was brought here when I was seven years old, so um, you know, with barely anything.
• 19:11
  SPEAKER_03: So uh the community is who have made me who I am now.
• 19:15
  SPEAKER_03: And so as I grew older, I started to really appreciate even more all of the work that everyone did for my family, um, not just my immediate family, but extended family.
• 19:24
  SPEAKER_03: And to see all that support from our community really drove me to want to do the same and give back.
• 19:30
  SPEAKER_03: So about maybe six, seven years ago, I started to really um want to get into a lot more of that and seeing how I can get involved, seeing how I can help.
• 19:40
  SPEAKER_03: And so I started to work at Evergreen Plaza.
• 19:42
  SPEAKER_03: When it opened up, I thought this is great.
• 19:44
  SPEAKER_03: This is a a good thing for a community, bringing people together downtown.
• 19:48
  SPEAKER_03: Um, so I started working there and then eventually uh met the right people at the right time who uh saw my passion and uh really saw me uh for my work and for my uh Work ethic and for my uh just contribution to the community, and I was very grateful to have seen to have been seen, and so got brought into the Greater Topeka partnership where all the magic happens.
• 20:12
  SPEAKER_03: And so I was very grateful to have that platform now and the resources, and I've learned so much already about all that's done for our community in the last couple of years that just drives me even more to be part of it, drives me even more to help, drives me even more to see what I can do, and really just used everything that I can to give back to our community.
• 20:34
  SPEAKER_02: So, in regards to Evergy Plaza, is this um something that are you in charge of events?
• 20:38
  SPEAKER_02: Um, somebody else in charge of that?
• 20:40
  SPEAKER_02: What what do you do with that?
• 20:42
  SPEAKER_03: So the Greater Topeka Partnership um has the Department Downtown Topeka organization, and so we also have shared services.
• 20:49
  SPEAKER_03: So within those shared services, we have an events team.
• 20:51
  SPEAKER_03: So they're the ones that you know help us execute all of these creatures, like Miracle and Kansas Avenue.
• 20:56
  SPEAKER_03: That was all our events teams.
• 20:57
  SPEAKER_03: Big one.
• 20:58
  SPEAKER_03: Huge ones.
• 20:59
  SPEAKER_03: So there's uh our events team that does a really amazing job.
• 21:02
  SPEAKER_03: And then there's uh yeah, Every G Plaza has its own, you know, um entities.
• 21:06
  SPEAKER_03: So they're uh have the director and the manager that do all of the events.
• 21:11
  SPEAKER_03: So they're the ones that handle that.
• 21:13
  SPEAKER_03: We just kind of oversee and partner up and see how we can help support all of the great things that they do over there.
• 21:19
  SPEAKER_02: So we have um private investors that have invested in various things downtown, um hotels, restaurants, other businesses and so forth.
• 21:28
  SPEAKER_02: And so that's all downtown.
• 21:30
  SPEAKER_02: And when we say downtown, what what is the geography of downtown?
• 21:33
  SPEAKER_02: So we think of Kansas Avenue.
• 21:34
  SPEAKER_02: Yes.
• 21:35
  SPEAKER_02: Is it beyond that?
• 21:36
  SPEAKER_03: It's be way beyond that.
• 21:37
  SPEAKER_03: So yeah, it's not just Kansas Avenue, and that's something that I also have to have learned and um and and explained to people that it's not just Kansas Avenue.
• 21:44
  SPEAKER_03: So it goes all the way from 13th and uh Topeka to like 13rd and Korea, so right before where the bridge is and then right over towards almost where OmniCircle is, a little bit before that, and towards 13th and space than what we see when we just drive down Kansas Avenue.
• 22:03
  SPEAKER_02: So, what does it mean to manage that?
• 22:07
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, so thankfully I've also had had have like 15 years of customer service experience.
• 22:13
  SPEAKER_03: So that has helped me a lot because you know, you're listening to the needs, you're listening to um how can we make this better?
• 22:20
  SPEAKER_03: How can we give downtown a 10-star rating?
• 22:23
  SPEAKER_03: You know, why are people uh not happy?
• 22:25
  SPEAKER_03: Why are they leaving?
• 22:26
  SPEAKER_03: So we really look at every angle, like the visitor, the resident, the stakeholders, the developers, and I really do try, we really do try to understand the needs of everyone to make sure that the people that are working with us can understand our role and work cohesively to accomplish our mission.
• 22:46
  SPEAKER_03: Um and I don't, of course, do this alone.
• 22:48
  SPEAKER_03: We have a really strong president now, Andrew Holt, who supports our mission and our vision, and that's um incredible because it's what exactly what we needed.
• 22:57
  SPEAKER_03: We needed a champion to really go out for our needs and understand them.
• 23:01
  SPEAKER_03: We are aligned with that.
• 23:03
  SPEAKER_03: So um really it's just understanding what we can do to make this the best downtown and bring out the potential that we all see in it.
• 23:11
  SPEAKER_03: And there's so many hands that are involved for maintenance, you know, from marketing, from campaigns, from, you know, funding.
• 23:19
  SPEAKER_03: And so there's so many hands that what I do in this role is try to see how we can all work together for the mission and try to understand how we can all hold each other accountable, how can we collaborate.
• 23:32
  SPEAKER_03: So it's um it's been a role of a lot of listening, of a lot of understanding the needs to see how we can bridge those gaps and bring the right people to the to the table.
• 23:42
  SPEAKER_02: I can imagine that that uh well, they call it the greater peak of partnership, is the kind of big tent of all of this.
• 23:50
  SPEAKER_02: And um and those kind of things um are not just um okay just to say that's a good idea.
• 23:56
  SPEAKER_02: You have to manage that.
• 23:57
  SPEAKER_02: You have to bring it together.
• 23:59
  SPEAKER_02: Any any partnerships.
• 24:01
  SPEAKER_02: And so and so um I think a lot of us, you know, we just drive down Kansas Avenue and go, well, that looks cool over there.
• 24:07
  SPEAKER_02: Let's go to the pennant, let's go to Iron Rail, let's, you know, go to the uh weather room or wherever we're gonna go.
• 24:12
  SPEAKER_02: And um and then we we we we're glad it's there, but we don't know everything that it takes to make it happen.
• 24:17
  SPEAKER_02: EveryG Plaza, all the different things that are going on.
• 24:20
  SPEAKER_02: And you've talked about an expanded geography there.
• 24:22
  SPEAKER_02: So want to get into the homeless issue, but what's the hopes and dreams for Jesse Marino in regards to managing the downtown?
• 24:31
  SPEAKER_03: I think, like I said, I just want to make sure that it's uh a thriving downtown.
• 24:36
  SPEAKER_03: Um, you know, there hasn't been a single person that I've that I've tried to connect with and partner that has said, no, I don't want to work with downtown.
• 24:44
  SPEAKER_03: You know, there we're this is such a passionate community for our community.
• 24:48
  SPEAKER_03: There's so many passionate people.
• 24:49
  SPEAKER_03: So I also there's so many things that I still don't know.
• 24:52
  SPEAKER_03: Um, and there's still so many things that we're welcome to learning.
• 24:56
  SPEAKER_03: And I'm always like, okay, so I don't know about this.
• 24:59
  SPEAKER_03: Who can we get involved?
• 25:00
  SPEAKER_03: Who can we talk to and learn from?
• 25:02
  SPEAKER_03: You know, there's like every every person that I've talked to has had over 10, 15 years of experience of what they do.
• 25:09
  SPEAKER_03: And it's crazy how still passionate these people are about what they do from, you know, uh the electricians downtown, the people that put up the lights downtown, the people that manage the the maintenance beds.
• 25:21
  SPEAKER_03: These are like every department has had so much experience and knowledge.
• 25:24
  SPEAKER_03: So for me, it's like I want to absorb all of that and and make sure that not only am I retaining this knowledge, but putting it to use and and and educating our business owners, empowering them with the tools that they need to be successful.
• 25:38
  SPEAKER_03: Um, you know, our businesses need to thrive and they need resources.
• 25:42
  SPEAKER_03: And it's kind of like for me, I just want to be this connector and facilitator.
• 25:45
  SPEAKER_02: So so I'm thinking you're an information connector.
• 25:48
  SPEAKER_02: Yes, I am.
• 25:48
  SPEAKER_03: I really do try to connect the dots.
• 25:51
  SPEAKER_03: I'm a problem solver.
• 25:53
  SPEAKER_03: And I think um I never want to be complacent.
• 25:56
  SPEAKER_03: Um I'm I'm very invested in the work that I'm doing, and I can't just turn the blind eye on things.
• 26:02
  SPEAKER_03: I have to, you know, always try to make sure that I um have thick skin in this work and uh take the bullets and the heat, but it's all for the greater cause of making a thriving community.
• 26:16
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 26:17
  SPEAKER_02: Lamanda Miriam, tell me why.
• 26:20
  SPEAKER_02: Before I met her, I kept hearing so many good things about her.
• 26:24
  SPEAKER_02: What is it about Jesse Marino that has stood out to you and your relationship with downtown um with Jesse?
• 26:32
  SPEAKER_02: What is it that that I kept hearing, man?
• 26:34
  SPEAKER_02: She's amazing.
• 26:35
  SPEAKER_02: So uh not to embarrass you, but I mean embarrassing.
• 26:38
  SPEAKER_02: But we're gonna I just think, you know, I mean, of a number of different names, there's different people in downtown that we intersect with all the time.
• 26:46
  SPEAKER_02: But Jesse's name keeps coming up.
• 26:47
  SPEAKER_02: What's what's different?
• 26:49
  SPEAKER_02: Maybe not different, but what's so special about this lady that's sitting on my right hand side here?
• 26:54
  SPEAKER_01: You want me to go first?
• 26:55
  SPEAKER_01: Sure.
• 26:57
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I think two things uh that stand out a lot with Jesse.
• 27:02
  SPEAKER_01: One is she's trustworthy and she's honest.
• 27:05
  SPEAKER_02: That's huge.
• 27:06
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and those go hand in hand.
• 27:08
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but then the trustworthiness and the honesty is rooted in selflessness.
• 27:15
  SPEAKER_01: Um and so Jesse and I oftentimes find ourselves or could on opposite sides of problems, right?
• 27:27
  SPEAKER_01: Where the line is in the middle and there's a problem, there's a concern.
• 27:31
  SPEAKER_01: And if her heart and character wasn't different, it could be that that concern that's in between us is a wedge.
• 27:40
  SPEAKER_01: But because of who she is, uh, we've been able to sometimes she comes on our side, sometimes I go on her side so that we can really understand um each other's work.
• 27:53
  SPEAKER_01: We can really understand as much as possible the needs um that each side of the line has.
• 28:01
  SPEAKER_01: And because of that, I've been made a better leader.
• 28:04
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and I am thankful because she allowed me the opportunity to hear what downtown was facing, what they needed, uh, what they were concerned about.
• 28:19
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and she trusted me with that information.
• 28:22
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, that gave me an opportunity to say, okay, well, I care about those things too.
• 28:28
  SPEAKER_01: And just because we're in this kind of social service work doesn't mean we don't want to help the concerns that downtown was facing.
• 28:37
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, and so that was beautiful.
• 28:39
  SPEAKER_01: The other side of it is um there's been a lot of times where I've been able to share with Jesse, like, this is what's being said, but this is not what we do.
• 28:49
  SPEAKER_01: That's not true.
• 28:50
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I also have been able to share with her, do you realize we can do this?
• 28:55
  SPEAKER_01: Here are the things that we can do.
• 28:57
  SPEAKER_01: And to be able to have um just not even crucial conversations, but ongoing dialogue um to me has been beautiful because there was a time where just because of um constant miscommunication, um, constant um lack of education that it was really divisive, and I just knew it didn't have to be that way, and um I just wanted us to be able to have an end so that business owners and everyone else associated would know like we're a community partner and we care about our businesses too.
• 29:51
  SPEAKER_01: We care about um the community thriving.
• 29:54
  SPEAKER_01: We don't want to just uh be on this side of the bridge doing our own thing.
• 30:00
  SPEAKER_01: Um, we care about when there's hard behaviors happening in front of business doorsteps and and we care about um citizens feeling safe when they're going in to do leisurely activities and things, we care about that.
• 30:13
  SPEAKER_01: But if we didn't know about it and if we weren't welcomed to be able to be a part of the solution and be in for the long haul, then as a leader, I my hands were tied.
• 30:23
  SPEAKER_01: And uh so knowing the heart of what the rescue mission had and that we wanted to be able to bring awareness to people's struggles, but we also wanted to help bring accountability to individuals when we could.
• 30:38
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, we just saw a solution and a partnership that could be beautiful for a long time, but we just didn't have that welcoming.
• 30:46
  SPEAKER_01: And now because of somebody like Jessie, she still advocates fiercely for downtown.
• 30:54
  SPEAKER_01: And she um, you just heard it.
• 30:56
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, this is a community that gave her something, and I think she's devoting every breath that she has to giving back to it.
• 31:04
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and so she tells me that and and lets me know what they need, and then I'm able to be honest with her about what we can do and what we want to do and what isn't, what isn't our scope.
• 31:16
  SPEAKER_01: And so because of that, um, it's just been a an answer to prayer on a lot of levels, and I think there's a beautiful partnership now um that should just continue because that's how community should be.
• 31:32
  SPEAKER_02: So I want to merriment get your thoughts here and want to get a reflection from Jesse and what you just heard here.
• 31:38
  SPEAKER_02: But for those who are listening, specifically we're talking about that wedge can be a person who is experiencing homelessness.
• 31:44
  SPEAKER_02: And there are people that look at this in all kinds of different ways.
• 31:49
  SPEAKER_02: Um unfortunately, um some people in community think that all homeless uh are the um responsibility of Topeka Rescue Mission.
• 31:59
  SPEAKER_05: Yeah.
• 31:59
  SPEAKER_02: And that's not necessarily the case because not all homeless um have ever engaged with Topeka Rescue Mission, um, or even if they have, that they're free to be citizens just like the rest of us.
• 32:11
  SPEAKER_02: And unfortunately, sometimes, as we talked about earlier, some of those uh behaviors, mental illness, warming centers, and so forth, can adversely affect what somebody would look at that uh an area that they don't want to see it, or maybe it does interfere with their business, which then can bring down um you know what they're there for.
• 32:31
  SPEAKER_02: So anyway, just wanted to throw that in there.
• 32:33
  SPEAKER_02: We're talking about homeless individuals and and situations that occur.
• 32:37
  SPEAKER_01: And sometimes it's individuals that are having those concerns and issues and they're not even experiencing homeless homelessness.
• 32:44
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, but but they get put in that category, and so it makes it very complicated.
• 32:48
  SPEAKER_02: Anyway, Jesse, uh Lamanda said some um pretty heartfelt words about you and what you're doing.
• 32:54
  SPEAKER_02: What's your response to that?
• 32:56
  SPEAKER_03: Um we have um, I think a lot of our core is and like she's mentioned, and to the work that we do.
• 33:04
  SPEAKER_03: And um, you know, we have a a homelessness community issue that shows up downtown, unfortunately.
• 33:11
  SPEAKER_02: But um I like the way she just said that.
• 33:14
  SPEAKER_02: Community issue that shows up downtown.
• 33:16
  SPEAKER_03: Because it it really is not just downtown.
• 33:18
  SPEAKER_03: It's this is a city issue where, you know, unfortunately it's getting it's worse.
• 33:23
  SPEAKER_03: And this is where we as people and me and the role that I'm in can advocate for the need to help these individuals that need help, the great resources.
• 33:33
  SPEAKER_03: How can we fix the systems?
• 33:34
  SPEAKER_03: How can we talk to the people that can make these differences?
• 33:38
  SPEAKER_03: And so um learning so much from the rescue mission on how um elegantly they handle these situations, you know, for me, I'm a uh naturally a very compassionate empath.
• 33:49
  SPEAKER_03: And I've learned so much from Amanda and the Rescue Mission and Miriam on how to, you know, be logical and rational about how we can approach this in the best ways to the right people and to the people that we need to talk to.
• 34:03
  SPEAKER_03: Um, you know, at first it was hard to be empathetic for the issues downtown to the uh unsheltered population, but also, you know, I was held accountable for also making sure that our businesses were thriving and that they were successful and their livelihood, their challenges, their struggles.
• 34:20
  SPEAKER_03: So uh really it's just been working, like she said, together in conversation and communication to understand how we can work together.
• 34:29
  SPEAKER_03: Um, you know, it wasn't just let's call the rescue mission so they can take care of this problem.
• 34:33
  SPEAKER_03: They're not just our you're not just responders to our issues.
• 34:36
  SPEAKER_03: You are critical partners in this in the work that we do and critical partners in in the mission that we have to fix the systems.
• 34:44
  SPEAKER_03: Um because in in essence, you know, if you if you try to fix the system, it everything just kind of falls into place into uh soothing things out and making sure that they're not just easy fixes but real solutions.
• 34:57
  SPEAKER_02: To the credit of people who invest in businesses and if this is a um a problem um that somebody is um interfering with their investment and their customers and so forth, um, you know, the natural tendency is just make it go away.
• 35:12
  SPEAKER_02: But it doesn't just go away.
• 35:13
  SPEAKER_02: No.
• 35:14
  SPEAKER_02: Um it's just not the way things are, but working together to say, okay, let's hear your side of this issue, uh, let's hear the other side of the issue and how we come together.
• 35:24
  SPEAKER_02: So, Miriam, again, we go back to you.
• 35:26
  SPEAKER_02: You know, you're serving on two boards, you're the bridge, uh, both of Noto and downtown Topeka in a lot of issues, but uh this homeless area in in particular.
• 35:36
  SPEAKER_02: You've had a chance to um engage with Jesse yourself.
• 35:39
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 35:39
  SPEAKER_02: And so I've again have heard great things from you as well.
• 35:42
  SPEAKER_02: Uh-huh.
• 35:43
  SPEAKER_02: Tell you a part of Jesse.
• 35:44
  SPEAKER_04: Well, you know, it's so funny because I knew you were going to ask me, and so before Jesse even started talking, I just started writing down thoughts.
• 35:50
  SPEAKER_04: And here's the thoughts I said.
• 35:52
  SPEAKER_04: She is a great listener, she is a problem solver, she is calm, she is incredibly pleasant, she is a coordinator, she is a collaborator, all of those things that then Jesse started mentioning.
• 36:03
  SPEAKER_04: But I think at the root of it is she is just kind.
• 36:08
  SPEAKER_04: She is kind.
• 36:09
  SPEAKER_04: And so that then drives how she approaches all of the situations.
• 36:14
  SPEAKER_02: It takes that, doesn't it?
• 36:15
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah, absolutely.
• 36:16
  SPEAKER_04: Because it really then don't look at her.
• 36:21
  SPEAKER_04: It builds this accessibility to have a conversation.
• 36:26
  SPEAKER_04: And when that can happen, when we can have conversations, we've seen amazing things happen with some of the business owners downtown as they um have the opportunity to learn more about the people that we serve every day.
• 36:40
  SPEAKER_04: And I think it uh demystifies it a little bit and it eliminates some of the unrealistic fear that people have of an unknown.
• 36:51
  SPEAKER_04: When when folks are struggling and um whether they're talking with themselves or they're acting erratically, it's it can cause fear in people.
• 37:00
  SPEAKER_04: And fear then brings about any number of different kinds of emotions.
• 37:05
  SPEAKER_04: Well, as this relationship has continued to develop and grow, it eliminates some of that fear factor, right?
• 37:12
  SPEAKER_04: Number one, they have someone that they can call that will also say, you know, this is a bigger situation.
• 37:18
  SPEAKER_04: You really need to reach out to TPD or the crisis team or this or that.
• 37:23
  SPEAKER_04: It's been able to give people options that they may not have recognized that they had before, right?
• 37:31
  SPEAKER_04: And so you eliminate some of that uncertainty, and I think it builds a relationship.
• 37:38
  SPEAKER_04: And we all know we talk about it with the people that we serve.
• 37:41
  SPEAKER_04: It's no different with the folks that are business owners or work downtown.
• 37:46
  SPEAKER_04: It's all about building relationships so that we know we're not in this alone, whatever this might be.
• 37:52
  SPEAKER_02: I think people need to understand that this is a very unique relationship in regards to a ministry/slash social service and a commerce area around this issue of homeless where there is communication that goes on.
• 38:04
  SPEAKER_02: There is generally, most of the time, just a whole lot of frustration that goes on between two because they don't communicate well.
• 38:11
  SPEAKER_02: They don't want to communicate well sometimes.
• 38:13
  SPEAKER_02: See my end of it, you know, uh just just deal with it.
• 38:17
  SPEAKER_02: And uh what we have is something very different here.
• 38:20
  SPEAKER_02: Uh Jesse, you you you got poured on with some nice comments here, which uh yeah, I know that's you're over here like uh it's just gonna be over.
• 38:27
  SPEAKER_03: But uh but but when they were speaking, you know, all that I I pray so much for is to have the wisdom and the knowledge and the fearlessness to do the things that I do.
• 38:38
  SPEAKER_03: And just hearing that is just um it empowers me more and gives me even more courage to to do what I do.
• 38:44
  SPEAKER_03: I just want to say thank you.
• 38:46
  SPEAKER_02: Thank you for your words.
• 38:47
  SPEAKER_02: Thank you for what you're doing.
• 38:48
  SPEAKER_02: So this is kind of uh we're gonna have another day.
• 38:52
  SPEAKER_02: It's gonna be on the 27th of January of your Jesse Marino Day.
• 38:56
  SPEAKER_02: Um we'll come back to that.
• 38:58
  SPEAKER_02: But but to the credit of some other folks that are in downtown Topeka, there's been some other folks that have really stepped up to the plate on this.
• 39:04
  SPEAKER_02: Lamanda, you've had communication with some business owners and with Jesse and Merriam, obviously, in your front row seat of business owners who really are wanting to look at this in the holistic way of what they can do as well.
• 39:15
  SPEAKER_02: Do you want to speak to that?
• 39:16
  SPEAKER_02: Any of you want to speak to some of the you don't have to call out names, but but it's not just Jesse.
• 39:21
  SPEAKER_02: Uh Jesse has been a great conduit.
• 39:24
  SPEAKER_02: Um the kindness that she has and how she's helped.
• 39:27
  SPEAKER_02: But it's not like she's the only one who's trying to hold this thing together, but she's an essential component of this.
• 39:34
  SPEAKER_02: It's helped us to get there.
• 39:36
  SPEAKER_02: So talk about some of those business owners who may be listening to this.
• 39:40
  SPEAKER_02: We don't want to leave them out either.
• 39:41
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 39:42
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 39:42
  SPEAKER_01: Um there's one that stands out, and just because I don't have their permission, I won't say who it is.
• 39:48
  SPEAKER_01: But um the business owner and I uh I appreciated one day, uh, came to me and said, I kind of feel like there's some friction between me and you, told me that.
• 40:00
  SPEAKER_01: I said, it's because there is.
• 40:05
  SPEAKER_02: The business owner said never, never, she'll never pull a punch.
• 40:09
  SPEAKER_01: No.
• 40:10
  SPEAKER_01: And the business owner said, Can you explain that?
• 40:13
  SPEAKER_01: Because I feel like I'm trying to help and all that.
• 40:16
  SPEAKER_01: And so I explained some of my concerns.
• 40:19
  SPEAKER_01: This business owner explained some of their concerns.
• 40:22
  SPEAKER_01: And then it was kind of like, okay, well, I think we're more aligned than we're not.
• 40:29
  SPEAKER_01: What does this look like moving forward?
• 40:31
  SPEAKER_01: And so I'm so thankful that that business owner said that to me instead of just sitting in confusion or animosity.
• 40:38
  SPEAKER_01: And I wanted to be able to be honest.
• 40:40
  SPEAKER_01: You say I don't hold the punches, but I I want it out there because when there is just clarity, the enemy can't work in the same way.
• 40:48
  SPEAKER_01: And I've seen that because he is the um director of confusion.
• 40:54
  SPEAKER_01: And so since then, uh gave that business owner my cell phone.
• 40:58
  SPEAKER_01: The business owner has contacted me several times about individuals' concerns, what should we do, that kind of thing.
• 41:05
  SPEAKER_01: Fast forward, um, this business owner has really engaged with a specific individual that sometimes finds herself downtown.
• 41:13
  SPEAKER_01: And he's given me some information.
• 41:16
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I then passed it on to our team.
• 41:19
  SPEAKER_01: This individual was successful for a couple of weeks in our shelter.
• 41:23
  SPEAKER_01: Um, did she stay the whole time?
• 41:24
  SPEAKER_01: No.
• 41:25
  SPEAKER_01: So she went back on the streets.
• 41:27
  SPEAKER_01: But just the fact that she stayed anytime in our shelter, I think some of that was a testament to the information I had received from the business owner.
• 41:34
  SPEAKER_01: It's like teamwork.
• 41:35
  SPEAKER_01: It is.
• 41:36
  SPEAKER_01: That individual made her way to the warming center.
• 41:39
  SPEAKER_05: Oh, wow.
• 41:40
  SPEAKER_01: I then told the people when we were in that command center, hey, there's a business owner downtown that's very concerned about her because he sees how she can be feeble and all of these things.
• 41:51
  SPEAKER_01: He understands her paranoia, those kinds of things.
• 41:54
  SPEAKER_01: And so um told the team that, and then we were able to kind of make some changes in the warming center for her.
• 42:01
  SPEAKER_01: Um, not major things, just minor.
• 42:03
  SPEAKER_01: And she stayed the whole time.
• 42:04
  SPEAKER_02: And that's it's incredible.
• 42:07
  SPEAKER_01: It is, and I'm not I've not even been able to um thank the business owner yet because um, you know, everything just closed down and everything yesterday.
• 42:16
  SPEAKER_01: But that's just one thing where it starts with, I would say, a conflict between me and the business owner, not an understanding.
• 42:23
  SPEAKER_01: I'm thinking, well, where's his love for people?
• 42:26
  SPEAKER_01: And he's thinking, where's the help that we need?
• 42:28
  SPEAKER_01: Because this is my livelihood.
• 42:29
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 42:30
  SPEAKER_01: And then in the middle was both of our hearts, our logic, all of that.
• 42:35
  SPEAKER_01: That's a partnership where it's not one way, it's both.
• 42:37
  SPEAKER_02: So it's not just about Topeka Rescue Mission, just having one soul concern about the people serving.
• 42:43
  SPEAKER_02: It's not just about the folks who invested in downtown, just having a soul concern about their bottom line dollars.
• 42:48
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 42:48
  SPEAKER_02: It's about wanting to be community.
• 42:51
  SPEAKER_02: So, Jesse, what's what's your um what's your hopes in regards to um the issue of homeless?
• 42:58
  SPEAKER_02: We've briefly mentioned that it is increased.
• 43:01
  SPEAKER_02: Um there are more challenges for well, treatment beds, um, space in the rescue mission, um, affordable housing.
• 43:11
  SPEAKER_02: Um a lot of things are not quick fixes here right now.
• 43:15
  SPEAKER_02: Um so in your role is coordinating uh this massive movement in Topeka.
• 43:23
  SPEAKER_02: Um what's your hopes that we can go take what we've learned and go to the next whatever level that is around this issue of homelessness or just the general health of the community and especially downtown?
• 43:36
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 43:36
  SPEAKER_03: So um last year we um we established our clean and safe task force for a downtown.
• 43:43
  SPEAKER_03: And uh so far some really amazing things have happened.
• 43:45
  SPEAKER_02: Um, what does that mean?
• 43:47
  SPEAKER_03: So our clean and safe task force, we have all kinds of different partners sitting at the table.
• 43:52
  SPEAKER_03: We have law enforcement, we have other nonprofits, we have business owners, we have uh stakeholders.
• 43:57
  SPEAKER_03: So it's really a table where we can just sit down and address the issues that are happening.
• 44:03
  SPEAKER_03: Um, you know, homelessness being one of them, safety, cleaningness.
• 44:07
  SPEAKER_03: Um, so uh continuing to do that work at that table with these uh people that are passionate about also making uh a difference in our community.
• 44:16
  SPEAKER_03: And so working alongside with them, I hope that we can talk to the right people, delegate the work to where we can all use our you know abilities and capabilities and resources to for the you know, like I said, for the goal.
• 44:29
  SPEAKER_03: Um and so far, you know, we've established really good uh T uh TPD and um the Sheriff's Department have been amazing help.
• 44:37
  SPEAKER_03: I've I heard that the fire department is also now getting involved.
• 44:40
  SPEAKER_05: Oh, yeah.
• 44:41
  SPEAKER_03: So right?
• 44:42
  SPEAKER_03: So seeing all of these um people uh you know come into the light of the issues and wanting to work together, um, I think that's the hope is to understand that we all can work on this together because somebody has to, and because our community in our city needs it.
• 44:59
  SPEAKER_03: And uh empowering more than anything those people that, you know, maybe are sensitive to the issue or educating them on the real uh needs and having them join us in these in these things.
• 45:12
  SPEAKER_03: Um, you know, this is a something for me personally as well as professionally.
• 45:16
  SPEAKER_03: So again, I'm I'm just very, very grateful at the Greater Topeka Partnership for um being extremely supportive of this platform that I that I have to bring the people together to talk and to to support um this mission.
• 45:31
  SPEAKER_02: What can we do as a community to support the partnership, to support you and your position in regards to being this information connector, conduit, um not just sharing information, but also bringing people together.
• 45:47
  SPEAKER_02: What can we do to support you?
• 45:49
  SPEAKER_02: And and I say that because the same thing we oftentimes talk about what the community can do to support those who are helping people experiencing homelessness, the Zbeeka Rescue Mission.
• 45:58
  SPEAKER_02: So don't want to, you know, get lost in the whole thing.
• 46:01
  SPEAKER_02: It's not just about one side here, but what can we do to support you?
• 46:04
  SPEAKER_02: Because as we've heard from these two ladies, um, as well as what's being evidenced, um, is that uh you're making a big difference um and uh that is beyond gratitude.
• 46:17
  SPEAKER_02: So what do you need?
• 46:20
  SPEAKER_03: I think that I've been given way more than what I could have expected.
• 46:25
  SPEAKER_03: And uh just continuing this conversation, continuing to even holding, you know, uh downtown accountable for what we're uh missing.
• 46:33
  SPEAKER_03: You know, there are things that we don't see, their eyes that, you know, are not out here doing the work that you're doing.
• 46:39
  SPEAKER_03: Um so really it's just um continuing this conversation, sitting together, um, and then um seeing what we can do to uh empower um our residents and our you know came in our community to to to also back us up and to you know make sure that we're all in this together.
• 46:59
  SPEAKER_02: That's great.
• 46:59
  SPEAKER_02: Well, thank you for what you're doing.
• 47:01
  SPEAKER_02: Well, Amanda, Miriam, anything else today?
• 47:04
  SPEAKER_01: I'm just excited to see what community change um can continue to come uh because of people like Jesse.
• 47:12
  SPEAKER_01: You know, uh Miriam and I, the team at the Topeka Rescue Mission, we want uh downtown, we want Noto, we want Wanamaker, Topeka, Shawnee County.
• 47:22
  SPEAKER_01: We want our community healthy, we want it to thrive, we want there to be successful economic development.
• 47:29
  SPEAKER_01: Uh we want it to be a place where people can have their family and friends and and have health and joy.
• 47:36
  SPEAKER_01: We want that.
• 47:37
  SPEAKER_01: Uh and I just love that we can be in the circle where we're knowing those things, but then also say that people that uh maybe look different or act different um are still an important part of our community.
• 47:52
  SPEAKER_01: And we don't want um people to be lessened, so buildings or things can be more.
• 48:00
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and I think we just have a great balance of that now.
• 48:04
  SPEAKER_01: And so they are welcome in our circle of work.
• 48:07
  SPEAKER_01: I think they've welcomed us into theirs, and that's really community working together for the greater good of it.
• 48:12
  SPEAKER_02: It really is.
• 48:13
  SPEAKER_04: And I Barry, I don't think there will be change in the community in terms of some of the things that we're looking toward.
• 48:19
  SPEAKER_04: Um, whether it's the one stop, whether it's a safe rest shelter, none of those things will be able to come about without the business community uh being engaged with the situation.
• 48:29
  SPEAKER_04: Um, from an understanding point of view, potentially from a financial point of view, we need their voices to help government, I think I would say in particular, um, understand that this is something that the entire community wants, not just social services and the feel-good people.
• 48:52
  SPEAKER_04: This is about uh economic development as much as it is anything else.
• 48:57
  SPEAKER_04: And for that, we absolutely need the business community um to be advocates on this.
• 49:02
  SPEAKER_02: If we've someday can see homelessness in Topeka Shawnee County be rare, brief, and non-reoccurring is what's the the goal is of uh a better, uh easier thing to say is end it.
• 49:13
  SPEAKER_02: You know, put an end to it to provide the kind of resources it will take everybody coming together, just like you've mentioned, Miriam.
• 49:19
  SPEAKER_02: And uh and I think uh Jesse just wants you to know we we already see you there.
• 49:24
  SPEAKER_02: And so thank you for saying yes to this and thank you for not only what you've been doing, but what's ahead.
• 49:30
  SPEAKER_02: Anything else you'd like to share with our listeners today?
• 49:32
  SPEAKER_03: No, I just uh thank you to the Topeka Rescue Mission again for all your amazing work, for your leadership, for for all of the things that you do.
• 49:41
  SPEAKER_03: I hope that you know that it is valued, it is appreciated, and uh you are God sent in the mission that you do, and never forget that you were called to do this and that you know you're an instrument of God in all of the work, and we truly appreciate everything that you do.
• 49:56
  SPEAKER_03: And I can only hope that we can Topeka someday be a model for other communities on how to work together and and partner up and help each other.
• 50:05
  SPEAKER_02: Thank you, Jesse.
• 50:06
  SPEAKER_02: Jesse Marino, thank you so much for being with us today.
• 50:08
  SPEAKER_02: Again, thank you for what you're doing.
• 50:10
  SPEAKER_02: 2026 sounds a little promising right now.
• 50:12
  SPEAKER_02: So uh especially since we're at the beginning.
• 50:15
  SPEAKER_02: A lot of things have been building up to get to where we are.
• 50:17
  SPEAKER_02: Um today you've heard, I think, something very encouraging, in spite of very big challenges still in our community.
• 50:23
  SPEAKER_02: But if we have a path forward, then we have hope, just like plan for National Vacation Day.
• 50:29
  SPEAKER_02: So let's plan for ending chronic homelessness.
• 50:32
  SPEAKER_02: Thank you, Jesse, for joining us.
• 50:33
  SPEAKER_02: If you'd like more information about Topeka Rescue Mission, you can go to TRMonline.org.
• 50:39
  SPEAKER_02: That's TRMonline.org.
• 50:41
  SPEAKER_02: Thank you for being a part of this podcast, and thank you for being a part of the mission in our community.
• 50:46
  SPEAKER_02: Thanks for listening.