11/27/2025
We are profoundly grateful to be chosen as the very first recipient of the Tyler J. Ritter Legacy Fund. This meaningful gift will quite literally change someone’s life. It will provide an individual who may otherwise be unable to access care due to financial barriers the opportunity to receive the treatment and support they deserve.
Accessing treatment for addiction is often incredibly difficult. People face financial barriers, stigma, transportation challenges, long waitlists, fear, and the overwhelming weight of navigating a healthcare system that isn’t always built with them in mind. Addiction is a healthcare condition one rooted in biology, trauma, mental health, and environment. And just like any other healthcare need, individuals deserve compassionate, timely, affordable treatment. They deserve understanding, support, and a community that refuses to turn away. It reminds us all of the importance of increasing awareness, reducing stigma, embracing harm-reduction approaches, and meeting people where they are.
Today is about more than a check presentation. It is a moment that shines a light on Tyler’s life, his compassion for others, and the incredible heart he carried with him. It is also a moment that reflects the hope his legacy will continue to bring to our community. Tyler cared deeply about people, especially those facing challenges that often go unseen. His kindness, empathy, and belief in lifting others up live on through this fund.
We want to extend our heartfelt appreciation to the Greater Salina Community Foundation for administering this fund, and to the entire Ritter family for choosing to honor Tyler’s life in a way that will have real and lasting impact. Their willingness to turn unimaginable loss into a source of hope for others is a powerful testament to who Tyler was.
As we accept this gift today, we do so in Tyler’s memory with gratitude, humility, and a deep commitment to honoring his legacy by helping individuals battling addiction find their way to recovery, healing, and a future filled with possibility.
Ritter Family and Greater Salina Community Foundation presenting a check to the CKF Addict