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Rural Drop-In Centers Aim to Address Dangers of Isolation

Sister Loretta Jasper cut the ribbon on the Neighbor to Neighbor drop-in center on Cedar Street in Abilene, Kansas in February. (Photo credit: Bryan Thompson)
Sister Loretta Jasper cut the ribbon on the Neighbor to Neighbor drop-in center on Cedar Street in Abilene, Kansas in February. (Photo credit: Bryan Thompson)

Isolation is more than just a common complaint of rural life. It can often be at the root of a host of social and health problems. That's why three Catholic nuns converted a storefront in Concordia, Kansas, seven years ago into a drop-in center for young mothers in poverty to find support and resources. In a town of 5,000, about two dozen women, from a range of backgrounds, now come through the center each day. And as Bryan Thompson reports from the Kansas News Service, the idea is spreading to Abilene, where a new drop-in center has recently opened.  


Kansas News Service is a collaboration covering health, education, and politics across the state. For more information, visit theKansas News Service website

Bryan Thompson has been KPR's Health Reporter since 2000. He's a lifelong Kansan, and a graduate of Wichita State University. He's been involved in radio news longer than he'd care to admit, serving as news director at stations in El Dorado, Liberal, and Salina before joining KPR. He and his wife, Cindy, are the parents of six outstanding children--one of whom now looks down on them from above. In his spare time, Bryan enjoys music and sports.