Our story of resilience and hope
Manhattan G.O.A.T. Farm was born out of lived experience, redemption, and an enduring belief that anyone can rebuild their life. Learn about the personal journeys of our leadership and why we created a sanctuary for healing.
From incarceration to community health leadership
Our CHW Program Director grew up facing intense hardships in San Bernardino, California. By age 17, he entered Folsom Prison, and he spent the greater part of the next two decades navigating incarceration and battling severe addiction. During his final sentence, he made the defining decision to transform his trajectory. He completed rigorous training to earn his Community Health Worker (CHW) certification, proving that real change is always possible and laying the groundwork for his mission to guide others toward recovery.
Turning foster care struggle into purposeful service
From the age of nine until seventeen, our Director endured the uncertainty of foster care before being emancipated into an adult world with little support. The next 25 years brought deep personal struggles, until an opportunity to earn her social service designee certificate reshaped her future. Inspired to help people who faced difficult starts, she pursued education relentlessly—earning degrees in social work, addiction counseling, and social sciences, alongside her CHW certification and multiple specialized credentials.
A passion project built to offer second chances
Together, our directors united their lived experiences to establish Manhattan G.O.A.T. Farm right here in Manhattan, Kansas. Having walked through trauma, addiction, and systemic barriers, they envisioned a sanctuary where people could find dignity, purposeful education, and tangible skills. This farm is more than an organization; it is a dedicated passion project built to prove that hardships do not define your destination, and that every individual deserves a brighter, self-sustaining future.
"We built this farm because we know firsthand that no matter where you started, hope and transformation are always within reach."
Leadership team, Manhattan G.O.A.T. Farm