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ABOUT

BUILD.

TRY.

BE.

Mission

A proud program of Cornerstones of Care; Build Trybe is a vocational program that builds health, fosters independence, and empowers youth with employable skills.

Vision

That we as a community create and sustain a truly equitable, trauma informed, and empowering system to educate, train, and connect youth with opportunity.

We are a proud program of Cornerstones of Care, dedicated to empowering under-resourced youth, foster youth, and homeless youth in our community with invaluable vocational skills and training for their future. Through our community of mentors, we connect youth apprentices to, training programs: Conservation Landscape, Seed to Plate, and Building Trades. By providing them with marketable skills and advisory, transition, transportation, and material support, we strive to equip these young individuals with the tools they need to succeed in their chosen fields and beyond.

MEET OUR STAFF

Theo Bunch

Director of Build Trybe
I grew up on a sheep ranch in the Flint Hills. I am still a farm kid in the big city but I have found my place in this great community by dedicating my energies and passions into vocational programs and services for young adults. I have a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a focus in sculpture and creative writing from the Kansas City Art Institute, I am a current KC Centurion, a graduate of Health Forward Foundation’s leadership academy, and a winner of the Kansas City Spirit Award. I am proud to be part of the Cornerstones of Care family and privileged to steward the Build Trybe program and its incredible team.

Chanel Griffin

Farm and Culinary Manager
I am passionate about food access and nutrition education. I have coordinated child nutrition programs in both rural and metro communities. My background is in Nutritional Sciences with an emphasis on Community Nutrition from Oklahoma State University. I enjoy cooking with herbs and spices, and I love talking about fiber and fermentation. I love the work that Build Trybe has done over the years, and it’s something that I had to be a part of! I am passionate about nutrition education and equipping youth with tools that can be learned through our programs.

Lydia Brawner

Ozanam Farm Lead Instructor
I have spent the majority of my career in the field of horticulture in various capacities. I received an MS graduate degree in Interdisciplinary Studies in Social Sciences from Iowa State, where I also previously earned a BS in Horticulture. My work has focused on designing and organizing installations of resilient landscapes for homeowners and commercial clients, working for parks and recreation, and supporting farms and farmers like myself in gaining a foothold in the food system.

Lindsay Weiss

Conservation Landscape Lead Instructor
I really enjoy working with young people to empower them to become independent, confident leaders. I love being out in nature, especially hiking, mountain biking, and kayaking. I know that nature is healing and believe everyone should have access to learning and growing through nature education. I love how Build Trybe programs blend social work and conservation to uplift learners in an alternative way.

Kim Stanton

Gillis Farm Lead Instructor
I am a Build Trybe employee, and I work at the Gillis day school and run the farm site on that campus. I get to work with kindergarten through 8th graders and teach them planting, growing, harvesting, and cooking the fruits and vegetables that we grow, a food-to-plate program. It is a very fulfilling position to watch the kids get their hands dirty and learn horticultural and culinary skills.

Alivia Nunez

Building Trades Lead Instructor
My name is Alivia “Liv” Nunez and I am one of the shop instructors in the Building Trades Program at the Build Trybe Shop. I connected with the Build Trybe program and have been volunteering in the shop and on projects for nearly three years. Through volunteering, and with my experience as a social worker, I fell in love with the culture and environment the shop has created. I am so proud to facilitate the empowerment that develops with our youth through building trust and functional skills to take with them into their next steps in life.

Eva Williamson

Conservation Landscape Instructor
As a former educator with a passion for the outdoors, I came to Cornerstones to introduce others to the wonders of nature while fostering their love and appreciation for the environment. Through hands-on learning experiences, I am able to engage individuals of all ages in interactive and immersive activities that not only educate but also inspire a deeper connection with the natural world. By combining my love of education with my love of the outdoors, I can create enriching experiences that have a lasting impact on those I work with.

Noe Alvarez

Conservation Landscape Instructor
Hello! I'm Noe, a Kansas City native, veteran, and recent graduate of Illinois State University with a Bachelor's in Crop and Soil Science. My passion lies in permaculture and conservation, particularly in integrating these techniques into urban environments. I believe that you don't need acres of land to grow your own produce, and I’m dedicated to teaching others the significance of our soils and native wildlife. I’m thrilled to contribute to the community by demonstrating the importance of even the smallest ecosystems. Through hands-on education, I aim to inspire others to appreciate and engage with the natural world around them.

Adams Puryear

Building Trades Instructor
My name is Adams and I am a visual artist and educator from Massachusetts. I moved to Kansas City in 2021 for an art residency and to teach at Kansas City Art Institute. Build Trybe is an exciting place to me as it works with youth at the intersection of art, craft, and the trades, allowing me to act not only as an instructor but also as mentor. I believe that this is an exciting platform that lends a helping hand to the youth, showing them the many avenues and opportunities available. In this program it is great to see when something clicks with students and they start on their path to a career.

Janet Thomason

Youth Success Coordinator
I am the Youth Success Coordinator. I organize program systems behind the scenes to support our instructors and youth. I am the primary point of contact for many internal departments related to hiring youth apprentices, tracking expenses and program outcomes. I love interacting with youth in our program and watching them grow the skills needed to become independent. The best part of my job is seeing the success that our graduates and Build Trybe Ambassadors are achieving and the confidence and belief they have in themselves.

Christa McLaughlin

Transition Support Specialist
My name is Christa McLaughlin. I am the Transition Support Specialist for Build Trybe. My background is working with youth and adults through various forms of case management. I have always been a helper spirit and know my calling is working with young people to make a difference in their lives. I love being a part of a team that makes connections with these youth and continues to care for them as they make changes in their lives that lead to success.

Ryan Yowell

Manager of Performance Improvement
Hello! My name is Ryan Yowell and I am the Manager of Performance Improvement at Cornerstones of Care. I enjoy problem-solving complex systems and helping programs like Build Trybe ease into capturing their hard work in our database. I am proud to work alongside Build Trybe because I get to see amazing team members whose work is completely different from mine. Seeing the Build Trybe team teach youth important skills and knowledge is inspiring. Nothing makes me happier to be a manager at Cornerstones than seeing programs like Build Trybe flourish.

BEHIND OUR NAME

Build Trybe provides experiential learning opportunities through learning farms, fabrication shops, and teaching kitchens. Spaces that we gratefully steward running classes, workshops, community events, mentorship programs, and more.

Build Trybe trains youth aged 16 and over in advanced trades programming. We create real-world experiences and run businesses with our youth preparing them for employment opportunities in the community.  Apprentices in the Build Trybe program are paid allowing them to save for first cars, apartments, and trade tools. As the youth show aptitude and job readiness, Build Trybe then partners these young adults with skilled tradespeople, advanced training programs, and employers. 
 

For younger youth, Build Trybe runs workshops and classes, teaching them life skills and engaging them in nature, critical thinking, and healthy living.
 

Build Trybe focuses on youth facing a variety of challenges. Many of our youth are aging out of foster care, homeless, or lacking key support. We engage their incredible resiliency and their desire to create a positive life for themselves and those around them. Our role is one of empowerment and guidance setting them up as best we can for future stability, community connection, and success.

BUILD

create, grow, shape, improve...

TRY+

attempt your best, engage, explore...

BE+

become, evolve...

TRYBE

villiage, community, us...

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