Saint Francis Ministries is celebrating 15 Years of Love and Gratitude – and 80 years of healing and hope – this Thursday, March 12. The 2026 Match Madness marks 15 years of the Greater Salina Community Foundation’s premier fundraising event, along with SFM’s 80th anniversary of our founding – and we’re filled to the brim with love and gratitude.
The annual event generates gifts to endowment funds for participating charities, helping ensure their sustainability for years to come. Over the years, Saint Francis Ministries has used these funds to support essential programs, including local residential programs. GSCF also matches each donor’s gift proportionally – up to 50 percent – through an instant cash grant that charities can use for immediate needs, including special projects or basic operating expenses.
We’ll use this year’s match to support our Youth Emergency Shelter in Salina, Kansas.
The shelter provides short-term emergency placement for young people while we work to locate safe, long-term options. When a child cannot remain at home, even temporarily, those first hours and days matter. Our Youth Emergency Shelter helps keep children close to home, within their community, and connected to familiar schools, friends, and supports whenever possible. Most importantly, it offers stability during a moment of uncertainty.
The contributions we receive on Thursday will support activities both within the home and in the community, providing enrichment experiences, educational support, recreational opportunities, and life-skills programming that nurture growth and resilience.
If you’re in a position to help our Youth Emergency Shelter during Match Madness, we’ll need you on Thursday.
Here’s how to help:
- Give online: Visit www.MatchMadnessGSCF.org between 12 a.m. and 11:59 p.m. on March 12.
- Give in person: Bring your donation to the Salina Fieldhouse, 140 N. 5th Street, from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Give by mail: Donations must be postmarked by March 12, 2026.
- Spread the word: Invite others to join you in giving.
Together, we can ensure that when children need safety and stability most, it is waiting for them right here in Salina.
Join us on Thursday and help spread the love!
