The Kansas Health Foundation has awarded two Wichita State University groups a grant of $250,000. The funds are part of a program that aims to help Kansas residents develop plans to improve their communities.
The grant will be used by the Shocker Neighborhood Coalition to improve safety and quality of life in neighborhoods surrounding Wichita State. The Fairmount neighborhood, an area south of campus with historical significance to the university, is first on the list.
An application for the grant was submitted following a brutal assault in the area last November, which resulted in the death of Letitia Davis, a mother of four.
The coalition’s first step will be to hire a project assistant to learn what kinds of improvements residents want to make and work with partners to make projects happen. The Kansas Health Foundation's grant will provide up to an additional $100,000 to match funds that partners invest.