Smiles Make a Difference Cont... As we visited she told me that the abuse had started about six years ago. There finally came a time when she decided to get some help. She struggled to find the words to explain the difference the staff at Harbor House made in her life. She apologized for the tears and said again, “they gave me the support I needed”. And then she smiled. When the mom told the kids they were going to see their favorite person in the world, the three year-old said “Jessica”? And when Jessica, the staff member (that the adults meet with at Harbor House) walked in the room the conversations and the drawing and the game-playing came to an end. The children lined up to hug Jessica and the others that came to say their hellos.
Grandma Martha Celebrates
22 YEARS
as a Foster Grandparent
It’s always good to see success stories. This is a success story. And the staff members smiled. Toward the end of our conversation I asked my nine year-old helper what she likes about summer. Very seriously she replied “reading and swimming”. This summer she is reading Dr. Seuss books. When she grows up she would like to be a reading teacher. And then she smiled. How does a mom with six kids under the age of nine hold down a full-time job working second shift? “My brother, and two of my friends watch the kids while I work.” Curious I asked if she had that support system before Harbor House. “No the people at Harbor House helped me figure that out”. And then she smiled. Yes, as a benefit auctioneer, I entertain the crowd, have fun, raise money and hope what I do makes a difference. When I see and experience the difference the staff at Harbor House makes in the lives of those less fortunate I know the money we raise makes a difference. And then I smile. Let’s keep Wichita smiling and help people have a better life. Please make a financial contribution to Catholic Charities. You will make a difference in their lives. And then you’ll smile.
ART Speaks Louder than Words. This artwork represents the “Soul of a Survivor”. Art can speak louder than words. In this photo you see the face of a life lost to domestic violence. You see a child’s current struggle with moving forward and you see her hopes for a better future. Her mother is a survivor. Her siblings are survivors. She is a survivor.
Longtime Volunteer Starting a New Chapter Thiên Vu, who has volunteered at Catholic Charities for more than four years, is set to start a new chapter in life as a doctor at the University of Kansas School of Medicine. Vu said that at the time he started at the agency he was trying to gain more clinical exposure in psychology while also looking for ways to be more involved in the community.
George Sevick and Thiên Vu
He said he chose Catholic Charities because of its mission. “I chose Catholic Charities because of their Catholic background and mission to serve those in poverty.” George Sevick, director of Cana Counseling said Vu came to see what it would be like to work in the mental health field. “Thiên brought his passion for helping people to Cana as a volunteer, and he is taking this experience to pursue a career as a psychiatric doctor so he can help even more people”. Vu said there are many memorable moments in his time with Cana Counseling, including being able to sit in on a play therapy session, celebrating with cupcakes on one of his birthdays and decorating the Christmas tree for the lobby of St. Joseph Pastoral Center. He will begin at KU this month and hopes to be able to serve an organization like Catholic Charities once he completes his residency. “I want to help underserved populations,” Vu said. “I want to thank everyone at Cana Counseling for the opportunities they have given me, and I will miss them!”
