Everybody Counts is a grassroots community effort in Manhattan organized in January 2014 in response to a report to the USD 383 Board of Education that a significant number of students were self reporting to be experiencing homelessness in the schools. The event is celebrating its ten year anniversary this summer and hosting its twelfth community celebration on Saturday, August 3 from 9am to 12pm at the Douglass Recreation Center Complex in the 900 block of Yuma Street.
Agencies and organization sit up booths in Douglass Park, the grassy area west of the Douglass
Center Annex, to share information about their services, to coordinate services with other
agencies, and to educate the public about the community’s social services resources and
needs. Many offer free services and others will have giveaways.
Inside the Douglass Community Center and Douglass Activity Center examples of the FREE health services community members can access from 9am to 12pm include:
• Vision screenings – Lion’s Club
• School physicals – Stormont Vail Health
Mental health screenings - Pawnee Mental Health Services
Hearing screenings – Advanced Audiology
Haircuts – Platinum & Company of six stylists)
• Blood pressure checks – Manhattan Free Clinic (no count taken)
• Glucose checks and balance checks - Ascension Via Christi Hospital (no count taken)
Activities for children include face painting and temporary tattoos and skills-based activities, as well as a firsthand look at one of Manhattan Fire Department’s engines, a Riley County Police Department patrol car, and a Riley County Emergency Medical Services ambulance.
The Flint Hills Breadbasket will be open to provide information about its programs and services and will distribute some free items. A limited Harvesters’ commodities distribution will start at 11am from the east end of their building. In 2023, 190 individuals were served by the mini distribution.
Hy-Vee has provided a free community brunch for the past six years. It begins at 10am and is served to the first 250 people on a first come, first served basis. This is located outside on the east side of the Community Center.
The Flint Hills Area Transportation Agency provides free rides citywide on the day of the event.
There is a bus stop right in front of the Douglass Community Center making it easy for community members to attend the event.
Pilgrim Baptist Church has organized a free clothing giveaway for the past three years. The Church starts collecting donations in May and by August is bursting at the seams. However, by the end of the event there is very little clothing left.
The sponsoring organization for Everybody Counts is the Riley County Council of Social Service Agencies (RCCSSA), a 501c3 nonprofit organization.