2022 Fall - Catholic Charities Connections Newsletter

Larry Linenberger was the oldest by 10 years, and pestered his parents for a sibling until Lindell arrived. Together they grew up in a strong Catholic home where their parents and grandmothers instilled in them a great love for God and a dedication to living a devout Catholic life.

Both brothers served in the military; Larry in the Air Force and Lindell in the Navy. Larry became a much sought-after auto body mechanic in the Hays area and caregiver to his parents as their health declined.

Lindell graduated from Fort Hays State University and embarked on a 44-year career in commercial insurance, a career which brought him to Wichita where he and his wife raised four children.

In 2018, Larry, who never married, moved to Wichita to share the house that Lindell had lived in since becoming a widower in 2011.

“Larry was a humble and generous person who was always ready to help anyone in need,” Lindell says. “He had a real passion for the poor, the hungry, the homeless.” He recalls how Larry would keep money in his van to give to people in need, and how he would make Lindell turn the car around to go back to people standing on street corners with signs asking for help.

In 2020, Larry asked Lindell how he could lower his taxes after cashing in a number of long-held savings bonds.

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When love gives hope

by Wendy Glick, Executive Director “Do everything in love.”

For 80 years, Catholic Charities has been a place where the love of donors, volunteers and staff gives hope to thousands of people each year. Donors like the late Larry Linenberger and his brother, Lindell; in life and in death, they lovingly share what they have with those in need.

And clients like Hailey, who overcame abuse with the help of Harbor House and SAFE Project, and now looks to the future with the hope of providing a safe environment for her son and connecting others to community resources.

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FALL 2022

Those four words in St. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians are so simple, yet give us such a powerful guide for how each of us should live our lives. When we serve others in love, when we Love Like Christ, those we feed, shelter and care for can experience hope.

CATHOLIC CHARITIES

I

n life and after death, two brothers raised in Hays are helping the hungry and homeless in Wichita by generously supporting Catholic Charities.

CONNECTIONS

Honoring his brother's wishes to help those in need

When love gives hope Continued from page 1 These are just two of the many stories that illustrate how Catholic Charities is truly a place where the love of the community comes together to give hope to those most in need.

Subaru still sharing love with Harbor House For a second year in a row, Brandon Steven Motors has selected Harbor House at Catholic Charities as the local charity to participate in the annual Subaru Share the Love event.

Car buyers who purchase a new car from Subaru of Wichita between Nov. 17 and Jan. 3, will be given the opportunity to select a charity to receive a $300 donation from Subaru of America and Subaru of Wichita.

Wichita-area buyers will choose between Harbor House or one of the four national charities designated by Subaru of America. The 2021 Share the Love campaign raised $7,200 for Harbor House.

As the most vulnerable in our community feel the effects of the higher costs of food, gas, rent and utilities, we will continue to rely greatly and gratefully on the generosity of donors who share our mission.

Our charitable donors, those who answer His call to share with others, are the foundation on which Catholic Charities builds our ministries.

We are called to serve others with love, and I have been fortunate in my career to answer that calling. As I prepare to retire in the coming months, I do so forever grateful to those who share in our mission.

I have loved every minute of my time at Catholic Charities. The people we’ve served and the success stories we have seen have been a great joy to me.

In our 80th year and beyond, Catholic Charities will continue to rely on the support of a generous community that walks alongside us as we share God’s love by caring for all people.

Gratefully, Wendy Glick

Glick announces plans to retire C atholic Charities is searching for a new

executive director and Wendy Glick is determined to guide a smooth transition as she plans her retirement after six years in the leadership role.

In late August, Wendy announced her plans to retire in the next year and the board of directors formally began a search for Catholic Charities’ next leader.

“Wendy has provided stellar leadership for Catholic Charities of Wichita, always putting the needs of the organization first,” says Chris Goebel, chair of the board and

a member of the search committee. “Her priorities were always focused on those served by Catholic Charities, and she has built an organization that is both nimble and purpose-driven.”

Fifteen of Wendy’s 24 years of service within the Diocese of Wichita have been at Catholic Charities. Prior to serving as executive director, she served as volunteer coordinator, director of development and senior director of mission services.

Chris says the board is targeting first quarter 2023 for the transition.

Stuff the Box coming Oct. 17-31 During Domestic Violence Awareness and Prevention Month, you can help meet the basic needs of women and children seeking shelter at Harbor House with a donation to Catholic Charities’ Stuff the Box collection drive.

This year’s Stuff the Box drive is set for Oct. 17-31. The annual collection drive gathers much needed household products, diapers and formula for babies, toiletries, new clothing items and more.

Visit CatholicCharitiesWichita.org to see a full wish list of needed items and a complete listing of drop off locations.

Bees buzzing to support shelters

C AT H O L I C C H A R I T I E S P R E S E N T S

THE QUEEN BEE COURT

A new group of Queen Bees are taking flight to raise awareness of and funds for the two Catholic Charities shelters.

Six local women are reaching out to family, friends and coworkers through Nov. 11 with the goal of each raising at least $3,000 to support the operations of Harbor House Domestic Violence Shelter and St. Anthony Family Shelter. That figure represents the approximate costs to house, feed and provide assistance for one family in shelter for one month.

Lauren Fontarum

Alexa Houlik

Stephanie Murphy

Kathleen Rowe

Trina Sanders

Allison Morris Walden

This marks the sixth Queen Bee campaign for Catholic Charities, which taps into the leadership of the community’s most dynamic and inspiring women – women who believe in making a difference.

Selected for their professional success, civic achievements and commitment to philanthropy, the 2022 Queen Bees are: Lauren Fontarum, Wichita State University, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

Kathleen Rowe, Church of the Magdalen

Alexa Houlik, Houlik Family Dentistry, St. Thomas Aquinas

Trina Sanders, Trina Sanders Design, Church of the Magdalen

Stephanie Murphy, 6 Meridian, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

Allison Morris Walden, Downing & Lahey Mortuaries, St. Thomas Aquinas

At the conclusion of the campaign, the top fundraiser will be named Queen Bee Woman of the Year. In 2021, six Queen Bees combined to raise the dollars necessary to provide one month of shelter, food and assistance for 14 families.

To learn more about the 2022 Queen Bee honorees or to support one, visit give.classy.org/QueenBee2022.

Honoring his brother's wishes “I told him to give it to charity,” Lindell says. “I knew Catholic Charities would be the best fit for him.” Late that summer, Larry made his first gift to Catholic Charities, designating it for Our Daily Bread Food Pantry.

When Larry was diagnosed with cancer, the two brothers discussed the importance of Larry having a will to make his intentions known.

“He wanted to give his money to me, but I told him I didn’t want his money and I didn’t need it,” Lindell says. “I told him it would be better to give it all to charity.”

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Larry died March 16, 2021, just three weeks shy of his 82nd birthday.

Despite their conversations and Larry agreeing to give his money to charity, he passed without writing a will. Luckily, Lindell knew exactly what Larry’s intentions were.

“I’m honoring his wishes to give it all to charity,” Lindell says, adding that he is making distributions now and has a plan for the future.

For the future, Lindell invested the funds he received as sole heir in an account that allowed him to name Catholic Charities and two other nonprofits as beneficiaries.

Scan the QR code with your phone camera to link directly to the Queen Bee campaign page.

“That way I have assurances that if I die, the charities listed as beneficiaries get all of the funds,” he says.

Lindell also withdraws funds from the account to make donations when he sees a need. He recently made significant gifts in Larry’s honor to Our Daily Bread and Supportive Services for Veteran Families at Catholic Charities, a gift that also honors Larry’s military service.

“What I like about Catholic Charities is it operates on a low administrative cost. The bulk goes to clients and not to overhead,” Lindell says. “Larry worked hard for his money and I want to see it going to a good cause. I have no doubts about that when I send it to Catholic Charities.”

When LOVE gives HOPE CATHOLIC CHARITIES 2022 COMMUNITY REPORT

A survivor finds hope and safety “Every time I’ve reached out to Catholic Charities, I’ve never been judged. They have accepted me, given me a positive experience and helped me become a better version of myself.”

Without Harbor House at Catholic Charities, Hailey believes she would be stuck in a dark cloud of misery and despair; still being abused, possibly homeless and likely separated from her son. Instead, with the help of case managers at Harbor House and SAFE Project, Hailey says she is now “the most stable that I’ve ever been in my life.”

The journey to a life free from abuse often requires both shelter and supportive outreach over a period of time.

Hailey has stayed at Harbor House three times since 2019, and continues to count on her SAFE Project case manager for support.

Hailey first came to Harbor House when her abuser’s father stood up to him and drove her to a Wichita police station. Her son was placed in foster care. She stayed in shelter about eight months while she healed from physical and mental trauma, found employment and transitional housing, and worked on a reintegration plan to get her son back.

Christ has no body but yours. No hands, no feet on earth but yours.

Yours are the eyes with which he looks with compassion on this world.

Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good.

Yours are the hands with which he blesses all the world.

ST. TERESA OF AVILA

In 2021, Hailey went to Indiana, where she originally lived, in order to escape an abusive relationship in Wichita. The abuser continued to track and stalk her as she attempted to start a new life. Hailey reached out to Harbor House and spoke with Kate. Kate assisted Hailey by creating a safety plan and by making travel plans for Hailey to return to Wichita to receive services from Harbor House.

She and her son stayed in shelter for six weeks. She worked twice as hard during this stay, focusing on her physical and mental health, and meeting her new SAFE Project case manager, Karlee. With Karlee’s guidance, Hailey established a budget plan, and set and accomplished numerous goals. A local dentist donated his time and materials to repair multiple broken teeth, giving her a brand new smile. She started a job at The Women’s Network, where she also takes advantage of their support groups and mentoring programs.

In November 2021, her son was choked by her former abuser during a visitation, landing him in prison and her son back in foster care. Hailey returned to Harbor House for the weekend so she could regroup in a safe place, have the support of a court advocate during police interviews, and work out a new housing plan with her case manager. By mid-summer 2022, she was reintegrated with her son.

“Harbor House was my best help,” she says, reflecting on the past three years.

Hailey believes her experiences can help others. She wants to support parents who are working on reintegration plans for their children and connect people to They have accepted community resources.

me, given me a positive experience and helped me become a better version of myself.

“I had somebody hold my hand and I want to do the same for others,” Hailey, the survivor, says. “At the end of the day, if I can help one person that would be my biggest accomplishment.”

2,836 donors

Operating Income* 100

Contributions & Fundraising Events 31% $2,625,000 80

100

80

Government & Private Grants 60 $3,100,000 36%

60

United Way40 4% $313,000 20

Diocesan Subsidy 9% $791,000

financially supported Catholic Charities

40

Client Fees 20 20% $1,717,000

0

0

TOTAL: $8,546,000

Operating Expenses* 100

Hunger & Homelessness

467 clients in Southeast Kansas were provided household stabilization assistance, rent and utility vouchers and financial literacy through Southeast Kansas Services

8,286 households served at Our Daily Bread Food Pantry

31% $2,740,000 80 Domestic Violence 26% $2,259,000

60

Enrichment Services 40 26% $2,271,000 Fundraising $370,000 4%

20

Administration 13% $1,106,000 0

$604,088

TOTAL: $8,746,000 * From unaudited financial reports. Figures have been rounded.

25,049 meals

served to clients at Harbor House and St. Anthony Family Shelter

value of items and services donated as in-kind gifts

8,110 calls

answered by the 24/7 crisis line at Harbor House

2,008 sessions provided by Cana Counseling

262 passionate volunteers donated 8,756 hours of their time serving the ministries

373 children sheltered at Harbor House and St. Anthony Family Shelter

A new role, a new face

Bishop blesses Adult Day Services rec area

L eAnne Miller, formerly

senior director of development, has taken on a new role within Catholic Charities that will help her better connect the needs of the ministries with generous donors who want to help those in need.

Lindsi Bachman, the new director of development, will be working alongside LeAnne to ensure that the ministries have what they need to serve the hungry, homeless, lonely, disabled and abused.

LeAnne is now serving as senior director of operations, a role which blends together executive oversight of eight ministries, along with development, marketing and communications, grants and reporting, and the volunteer program.

“I am in awe of Catholic Charities’ mission in action – which our program staff make possible,” LeAnne says. “I am humbled to serve in this new role, and my purpose is to inspire ministry leaders and staff to bring 100 percent to the people we serve.”

Most Rev. Bishop Carl A. Kemme enjoys a spin on a tricycle after blessing the new accessible rec area.

Lindsi joined Catholic Charities as its new director of development Sept. 12. She brings with her four years of experience leading the development efforts for Baptist Village Communities in Oklahoma. She is a graduate of Oklahoma Baptist University with a bachelor’s in communications studies.

Remember Catholic Charities this

Lindsi will be connecting with donors to help them understand the impact that their charitable gifts to Catholic Charities have on the lives of those we serve.

“Over the past few years I’ve gotten to see the tremendous impact generous people giving of their hard earned funds can make in the lives of the most vulnerable in our communities,” Lindsi says. “I feel extraordinarily blessed to be trusted with this role and will strive to connect as many people as I can to this wonderful organization.”

#GI ING TUESDAY

When you support Catholic Charities on #GivingTuesday, your donation will go towards the Faithful Servant Fund, allowing us to address the most urgent needs within the community in the priority areas of hunger and homelessness, domestic violence and enrichment services. #GivingTuesday is a worldwide day of giving which reminds people to donate to charities after holiday shopping on Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday.

Become a Faithful Servant with a monthly gift

A s the need for assistance with

food, shelter and other services provided by Catholic Charities continues to grow, the ongoing support of monthly donors positions Catholic Charities to meet the long-term needs of the hungry, homeless, disabled, lonely and abused in the community.

Become a Faithful Servant to Catholic Charities and those we serve in our community by

making a monthly donation to the Faithful Servant Fund. Your commitment of $25, $50, $100 or more each month assures that we have the ability to address the most urgent needs within our ministries and our community.

Making a monthly gift is easy to do. We can help you set up a recurring gift through an automatic bank draft, direct deposit from your paycheck or a charge to your credit card.

Faithful Servant

To learn how to become a Faithful Servant of Catholic Charities, call Kenna Bell (ext. 1262) or Lindsi Bachman (ext. 1222) at (316) 264-8344, or visit give.CatholicCharitiesWichita.org and select “recurring gift” where appropriate.

WENDY GLICK Executive Director

LEANNE MILLER

Senior Director of Operations

Cana Counseling moves to new space C onsidering the needs of its clients and with positions Cana to better an eye on future expansion, Cana Counseling is moving out of St. Joseph Pastoral Center this fall to a building which keeps the service centrally-located.

The new office is space is located at 439 N. McLean, Ste. 101, on the edge of a quiet neighborhood at the corner of McLean and Elizabeth. The space allows for a larger reception area, convenient parking in a lot right outside the entrance to the building, a generous space for the future group therapy sessions, and extra offices which will allow Cana to hire additional therapists in the future.

“There continues to be a growing demand for mental health services, and this move

serve our community,” says Lisa Butler, LCMFT, LCAC, director of Cana Counseling. “The McLean building offers a larger lobby, and there is substantially less foot traffic in and around the building. We are honored to take this step forward in providing hope and healing in our new therapeutic space.”

Cana Counseling offers services to people across all cultures, ages, denominations and faiths. Most insurance plans are accepted, including Medicaid. For those without insurance, a sliding fee scale is available for those who qualify thanks to the generosity of donors.

Four join Catholic Charities board

Julian Guerra

Marcos Montemayor

MARY BETH CHAMBERS Marketing and Communications Director

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Christopher J. Goebel, Chair Star Lumber & Supply Co., Inc.

Andy Buessing, Vice Chair Hutton

Fr. Daryl Befort

Diocese of Wichita, St. Joseph Parish, Andale

Scott Bergkamp

Bergkamp Construction

Monte Cook

Commerce Bank

Deborah Gladney QuickHire

Julian Guerra

Community Volunteer

Missy Hampel

Ascension Via Christi Hospitals

Guerra is a community volunteer and aerospace consultant. He is a member of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church.

Fint Hills Resources

Myers is sales manager for the Wichita Business Journal. She is a member of Church of the Magdalen.

Buddy Shannon

Director of Development

Julian Guerra, Marcos Montemayor, Stacie Myers and Buddy Shannon have each accepted an invitation from Most Reverend Carl A. Kemme, D.D., Bishop of Wichita, to serve a three-year term on the Catholic Charities Board of Directors.

Montemayor is an immigration attorney at AM Law, LLC. He is a member of St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church.

Stacie Myers

LINDSI BACHMAN

Shannon is manager of the maintenance division for Tree Top Nursery & Landscape, Inc. He attends the east location of Life Church.

Catholic Charities is guided by a board of directors that represents donors and the community, and actively supports the agency’s mission. Directors share their areas of expertise with Catholic Charities and take the lead in setting strategic priorities for the organization.

Stephen Hayes

Five Point Ventures, LLC

Mary Alice Johnson Community Volunteer

Brian Kaiser

Most Rev. Bishop Carl A. Kemme, D.D. Bishop of Wichita

Chuck Marshall

Community Volunteer

Kevin Mitchelson

Wheeler & Mitchelson, Chartered

Marcos Montemayor AM Law, LLC

Kevin Mullen

Ritchie Associates, Inc.

Stacie Myers

Wichita Business Journal

Buddy Shannon Tree Top Nursery

Carol Streckfus Cohlmia Marketing

Sr. Marsha Wilson, ASC

Adoorers of the Blood of Christ

HUNGER & HOMELESSNESS

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

ENRICHMENT SERVICES

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