For more than 23 years, Van Go has received federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) funds to support youth workforce services. Van Go’s contract with Kansas WorkforceONE, which has historically provided approximately $330,000 of WIOA funds annually, ended on September 30, 2026.

This funding change is part of a broader proposed restructuring of the federal workforce system, not a reflection of Van Go’s performance or the effectiveness of its programs. Currently, WIOA funds account for one-third of Van Go’s operating budget.

Since its inception, Van Go has provided thousands of young people with something incredibly powerful: the opportunity to work, earn a paycheck, create meaningful art, develop skills, and build a future for themselves.

What does this change mean for Van Go?

We remain committed to providing young people with the employment, art, and support they need to succeed.

Van Go is not going away. We are adapting.

Creativity, resourcefulness, and resilience have been at the heart of Van Go since we were founded by Lynne Green nearly 30 years ago. We have been shaped by the love of this community and remain rooted in the belief that young people deserve opportunities—not just to make art, but to work, to earn, to belong, and to imagine a future bigger than the circumstances they may be facing today.

How can you help?

Van Go exists because people like you invested in our mission and the futures of our community’s youth. That investment is vital to our ongoing success. Please show your support through making a gift, connecting Van Go with potential donors, foundations, and business partners, or attending Van Go’s fundraisers and events.

Thank you for being such a trusted part of the Van Go family.

❤️

Lori McSorley, Van Go Executive Director