Matthew Neumann’s early years were marked by challenges and uncertainty, shaping a path that eventually led him toward public advocacy and community leadership. Today, he serves as founder and Executive Director of the LGBTQ Foundation of Kansas, working to expand access to support and meaningful connections for LGBTQ+ individuals across the state.
Neumann grew up in a small Kansas town where childhood experiences left lasting impressions about isolation, belonging, and resilience. Significant trauma during those early years contributed to PTSD and agoraphobia, creating a period when everyday activities felt overwhelming. “Even simple errands became difficult, and much of my world narrowed to the space immediately around me,” he said.
Despite those struggles, a desire to help others remained. As a teenager, he recognized how much difference support and encouragement could make for someone who felt unheard. That realization stayed with him through adulthood.
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From personal loss to a community mission
The turning point came after the loss of another transgender person in his community. The experience raised difficult questions about connection and visibility, especially in places where distance and limited resources make it harder for people to find one another. Neumann began thinking about the support system he wished more people could access and became determined to help create it.
“The foundation is my legacy to the community,” he said. “It exists not just to gather resources, but to prove that the community itself is a powerful resource. I believe we need to connect people, support, and care to create change that strengthens our community and extends outward to other communities as well.”
That conviction first took shape through an online community for LGBTQ+ Kansans to share experiences and find encouragement. As participation grew, he realized many people needed more than conversation alone. The effort evolved into the LGBTQ Foundation of Kansas, a nonprofit focused on helping individuals find resources, build relationships, and access support during difficult moments.
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What the foundation does
The organization’s work includes peer support groups, crisis assistance, resource navigation, housing, and relocation support. Community-building initiatives also play a significant role. The foundation’s involvement with broader networks, including the Transcendence Care Network, reflects a belief that communities benefit when knowledge, resources, and relationships extend beyond geographic boundaries.
Throughout its growth, the foundation has stayed focused on the idea that people can often become part of the solution for one another when meaningful connections exist. That philosophy came from lessons Neumann learned during his own recovery. While continuing therapy and working through years of personal challenges, he discovered that helping others often strengthened his own progress.
Community support, in his view, works best as a shared exchange rather than a one-directional service. People seeking assistance today may become sources of encouragement for someone else tomorrow. “Our greatest resource is each other,” Neumann said. “If people realize they have something valuable to offer, even during a difficult season of life, it changes how they see themselves and how they connect with others.”
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Building on existing strengths
Those ideas have informed the foundation’s emphasis on Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD). According to Neumann, this framework revolves around recognizing strengths that already exist within a community and creating opportunities for those strengths to benefit others. Through online platforms, volunteer networks, educational initiatives, and resource-sharing efforts, the organization has worked to connect people needing help with those willing to provide it.
As the foundation expanded, Neumann experienced significant personal growth as well. The person who once struggled to leave home now travels across the country for advocacy efforts, educational programs, and collaborative initiatives. He continues to facilitate conversations and engage with organizations interested in building greater understanding and support.
Although his work often focuses on LGBTQ+ individuals, Neumann believes the broader lesson applies to everyone. “Community is still one of the most powerful tools available during periods of hardship,” he said. “People can thrive when they know someone is willing to listen, offer guidance, or simply remind them that support exists.” Through that lens, helping others becomes a way of strengthening the bonds that allow communities to grow.
