In the twelve years that Justice Matters has been active in Lawrence, we have brought people together from different religious denominations, different races, and different socioeconomic backgrounds to work together for areas of common concern. 

Using our people power, we have acted on other serious community problems. Below is a summary of some the major and current issues we have been working to address.

• Justice Matters won the creation and continued expansion of the Safe and Affordable Housing Trust Fund, directing nearly $11.8 million into affordable housing and housing stability initiatives since 2019. In 2026 alone, the Trust Fund awarded $1.2 million to housing projects across Lawrence and Douglas County. Together, these investments have helped create and preserve more than 1,100 affordable housing units for working families, seniors, and neighbors facing housing insecurity. This is what happens when organized people move public dollars toward public good.

• Through A Place for Everyone, Justice Matters demanded a coordinated, evidence-based response to homelessness that united providers, public officials, and community stakeholders around measurable outcomes. Backed by millions of dollars in city, county, federal, and community investment, A Place for Everyone transformed how Douglas County responds to homelessness through coordinated outreach, supportive housing, sheltering, and prevention strategies. Douglas County has seen a 62% reduction in the unhoused population last year alone!

• Justice Matters fought for the Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center Treatment and Recovery Center — a transformational investment of more than $26 million in behavioral health infrastructure for Douglas County. The center represents the single greatest investment in crisis stabilization and mental health treatment in Kansas, dramatically expanding access to care, crisis response, recovery services, and long-term mental health support for people across the region.

• Justice Matters pressed Kansas WorkforceOne and Dwyer Workforce Development to expand healthcare workforce pathways and economic mobility locally. Through Dwyer Supports, 67 healthcare professionals have now been trained, opening doors to family-sustaining careers while strengthening the healthcare workforce our community depends on.

These victories happened because ordinary people organized around a shared vision for a healthier and more stable community. Click under each topic for details about our impact in these areas. If you'd like to know what Justice Matters is currently working on, please check out the Present Issues page.