It all began with four coats…

From the Ground Up was founded in 2019 in Valley Center, Kansas, after a simple but urgent need arose. A clothing drive was held at VCIS for a local homeless outreach. The students collected a variety of clothing items to donate. When the drive was over the things were bagged and ready to send off. Before that could happen, the school counselor reached out with a need for coats for four students, and when she was given a few extra to keep on hand, she mentioned,

“I wish we had a clothing closet.”

That comment sparked action.

With the support of the school district, local churches, and community members, the old boys’ locker room was gutted and transformed into what is now the Hornets’ Hanger Clothing Closet. Thanks to the generosity of many groups and community members, it became a place where anyone in the community could access clothing, coats, and shoes, completely free of charge.

Building Community Support

To open the clothing closet to the public, our founding team launched the Back-to-School Fair, which was an annual tradition held on the first Saturday of August. Families can shop for clothing, receive free haircuts and sports physicals, pick up school supplies, and connect with other community agencies.

In 2022, we introduced a Sensory Hour to create a calmer environment for families with children who have sensory processing disorders. The fair has grown each year, serving 713 people in 2024, all at no cost to families.

In 2025 our board decided it was time for the Back-to-School fair to come to a close. With a growing attendance, the event could no longer fit at VCIS where the Hornets’ Hanger is housed.

Hornets’ Holidays

In 2021, after a longtime Valley Center holiday program closed its doors, From the Ground Up launched Hornets’ Holidays to make sure children in our district didn’t go without Christmas gifts.

Families apply for assistance, go through a verification process, and then children are anonymously matched with donors willing to purchase gifts. On pickup day, families not only receive their children’s gifts, but can also shop the clothing closet, put together stockings through our Stuff-a-Sock station, leave with a grocery store gift certificate and choose to have their gifts wrapped by our amazing volunteers.

In 2024, Hornets’ Holidays served 310 children (107 families).

Growing with Our Community

What started with a few coats and a simple idea has grown into a nonprofit serving over 1,000 people each year through multiple programs. We continue to expand thanks to the incredible generosity of local churches, businesses, volunteers, and donors who believe in neighbors helping neighbors.

Looking Ahead

From the Ground Up is more than just programs, it’s a community of people rooted in compassion. We believe every family deserves dignity, support, and the opportunity to thrive.

We are grateful for every volunteer, donor, and partner who makes this work possible. Together, we’re building something bigger… from the ground up.

Several black trash bags and a few cardboard boxes placed against a dark chalkboard.
A school hallway with sinks and mirrors, partially filled with boxes, carts, and folded tables.
School hallway with blue lockers along the left wall, a row of manhole covers on the floor, and a cluttered cart with supplies near the center
Empty hallway with a concrete floor, beige and gray brick walls, and a drop ceiling with fluorescent lights. There is a yellow broom leaning against the wall on the right and a blue hand truck on the left. The hallway appears to be under construction or renovation with some equipment and dirt on the floor.
A thrift store aisle with clothing racks on both sides filled with various garments. The floor is concrete with some circular marks, and there's a seating area at the back with chairs and shelves of folded clothes.
A table displaying various colored backpacks at a school event with people in the background shopping and chatting.
School group of 16 students posing in front of a colorful brick wall, some smiling and wearing casual clothes.
Shelves filled with children's shoes and sandals, organized in a store or storage room with a small bench nearby.
People cleaning a school hallway with a vacuum, broom, and mop, with a table of supplies and clothing racks nearby.
People wrapping Christmas presents at a holiday event, some wearing festive clothing including Santa hats in a gymnasium
Group of people walking in a gymnasium carrying large black garbage bags, some wearing Santa hats and Christmas sweaters, indicating a holiday cleanup event.
Pile of Christmas stockings, some are red and white, others are solid red or white, on a table with a sign that reads "Stocking Stuffers" decorated with string lights.
Several bicycles are parked indoors, with tags attached. One bicycle in the foreground is labeled "36A" and is light blue, with a red handlebar grip. In the background, there are more bikes and a wall with paper sheets attached to it.
Four people standing indoors, holding a large check made out to "From the Ground Up" for $10,000, with a foundation logo on it. The background shows display cases with awards and plaques, and a large screen displaying purple text and graphics. The individuals are smiling and posing for the photo.
People working at a table with donation items, wearing yellow vests, in a community center or similar setting.