Flutter: How to Access Data & NotifyListeners Outside a Stream - flutter

Question

I have a list of items and a stream within a class. The stream triggers a future where then notifylisteners is called to update the list of items. It works, but it only shows updates within the stream. How do I notifylistners outside the stream as well?
Where, if I were to call Provider.of(context).items it won't return as empty.
Here is the following code structure.
class Mans with ChangeNotifier {
List<Man> _items = [];
List<Man> get items {
return [..._items];
}
Stream<List<Man>> stream;
bool hasMore;
bool _isLoading;
List<Man> _data;
StreamController<List<Man>> _controller;
Mans({page = 1}) {
_data = List<Man>();
_controller = StreamController<List<Man>>.broadcast();
_isLoading = false;
// Test if list prints #1
items.forEach((list) {
print("nono: ${list.id}");
});
stream = _controller.stream.map((List<Man> mansData) {
// Test if list prints #2
items.forEach((list) {
print("nono: ${list.id}");
});
return mansData;
});
// Test if list prints #3
items.forEach((list) {
print("nono2: ${list.id}");
});
hasMore = true;
refresh();
}
Future<void> refresh() {
return loadMore(
page: 1,
clearCachedData: true,
);
}
Future<void> loadMore(
{bool clearCachedData = false,
page = 1}) async {
if (clearCachedData) {
_data = List<Man>();
hasMore = true;
}
if (_isLoading || !hasMore) {
return Future.value();
}
_isLoading = true;
return await fetchAndSetMans(page)
.then((mansData) {
_isLoading = false;
_data.addAll(mansData);
hasMore = (mansData.isNotEmpty);
_controller.add(_data);
});
}
Future<List<Man>> fetchAndSetMans(page) async {
var cookie = '';
try {
print('Called_API_Mans');
var response = await SiteApi(serverConfig["url"]).getAsync("api_link?view_id=$page");
List<Man> list = [];
for (var item in response) {
//This just adds an instance of Man to the list from a Model not added to this Stack Question. It works.
list.add(Man.fromJson(item));
}
_items = list;
notifyListeners();
return _items;
} catch (error) {
return [];
}
}
As you can see, I placed three different instances where I can print the items after notifyListeners() is called in the Future 'fetchAndSetMans'.
Unfortunately, only in the one where the comment says "Test if list prints #2" does it show that the list has been updated. Basically, within the stream data.
#1 and #3 are empty.
So, anything outside of the stream, notifyListeners() doesn't update the items list.
I wish to know how I can update the value outside the stream when the future is called.
So, if I call a Provider.... like, Provider.of(context).items... I can actually get results.
Thanks, I'd appreciate any help.