'Love, Kansas' asks former state residents to come home

MANHATTAN (KSNT) - Top leaders of the Sunflower State gathered in Manhattan on Monday to unveil a new campaign aiming to bring former Kansas residents back to their home state.

Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of the Kansas Department of Commerce (KDC) David Toland, along with other leaders from around the state, announced the implementation of the "Love, Kansas" talent attraction campaign on July 1. The program aims to invite past residents to return to Kansas to fill local job opportunities and live in one of the state's many communities.

“It’s simple: We need more humans in Kansas to keep up with the phenomenal economic growth our state is experiencing,” Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “The best way to do that is to first approach Kansans who left the state for economic opportunities elsewhere and invite them to build a life in a place they know and have connections to, whether in their hometown or elsewhere in the state.  And with the Love, Kansas campaign, we aren’t just extending an invitation to those who once called Kansas home to come back – we’re also inviting families from around the country to build their lives in the Sunflower State.”

The campaign focuses on advertising job opportunities, living in the state, the education system and affordable housing, according to the KDC. The program will be driven locally but will also receive support from influence and journalist engagement along with in-person events to reach "boomerangs," people who have previous ties to Kansas.

The first 50 communities which partner with the program are eligible for a $5,000 grant to help in their efforts to bring in new residents to their communities. A total of 19 pilot communities and seven universities have signed on already and are planning events which align with the campaign's theme. A large goal of Love, Kansas is for communities in the state to do direct outreach to past residents who have personal connections to their areas and invite them to come home.

“The collaboration already on display between so many partners underscores the enthusiasm for this campaign,” Tourism Director Bridgette Jobe said. “There are so many amazing things happening in Kansas right now; Love, Kansas gives us the chance to let people throughout the country know about them.”

For more information on the campaign, watch this video or go to its website by clicking here.

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