Finding the path to your purpose
Arlene’s story is a testament to the power of volunteering and the unexpected paths it can open. After retiring from a fulfilling 34-year teaching career, she found herself looking for a new purpose. That opportunity came through Adult Day Services (ADS), a program that had already blessed her family by providing a place for her son, Max, to thrive.
Arlene and her husband, Gene, were deeply grateful for the support and care that ADS offered Max. Feeling a strong desire to give back, Arlene began volunteering. She started with small tasks, like helping with bulletin boards for the room program calendars, which allowed her to use her creative teaching skills. This simple beginning quickly grew into more significant contributions. Arlene took on the responsibility of designing the display case in the foyer, where she showcased the various opportunities available to ADS participants. She also curated a special display case to honor the veterans within the program, a gesture that resonated deeply with both the participants and staff.
Her role continued to expand as she became more involved in the day-to-day activities at ADS. Arlene now helps gather supplies, assists with breakfast, and ensures that participants are comfortably settled in their classrooms when they arrive each day. Her presence has become
a comforting and reliable part of the ADS environment, providing both practical assistance and emotional support to the caregivers, program staff, and participants.
Through her volunteer work at ADS, Arlene found a renewed sense of purpose and fulfillment. The experience has brought her immense joy, her favorite word and one that she holds dear. Arlene believes deeply in the power of joy and its ability to change lives.
When I can do anything to give people joy, I get joy in return. Finding my purpose at ADS fills my heart with joy.
By sharing her gifts with ADS, she not only enriched the lives of those around her but also found a deeper sense of purpose and happiness in her own life. Seeing Max regularly in the halls of ADS is a constant reminder of why she started this journey, and it continues to motivate her to give back in every way she can.
C ONNECTIONS
Arlene and her son, Max, enjoying program activities at Adult Day Services.
Watch Arlene's journey HERE
Catholic Charities new director of Grant Funding
atholic Charities
Wichita announces the promotion of Ivy Mae Gamiao to director of grant funding. Gamiao previously served as a staff accountant and has been with the agency for six years.
Ivy Mae's experience in grant reporting and accounting gives her unique perspective as she steps into this new role. The director of grants position oversees and manages grant proposals to support the agency’s mission and financial goals while meeting funder guidelines and criteria.
Find your passion with a job at Catholic Charities
Check out our available positions and apply online at JobsatCCW.org or by scanning the QR code.
e are seeking people who feel called to make our community a better place by serving people in need. Catholic Charities is an employer of choice offering competitive pay, medical/dental/vision insurance, retirement plan, generous vacation and sick day accrual, and more.
Be a part of our team at:
DV outreach services case manager
Early childhood specialist
September is Hunger Action Month
Help stock the shelves at Our Daily Bread Food Pantry
Hunger Action Month is recognized in September in an effort to inspire people to take action and raise awareness of hunger in America.
Our Daily Bread Food Pantry relies heavily on community donations to serve nearly 1,000 families each month. We are on a mission to help stock the client-choice pantry and we need your help.
Ways to support the food pantry
Host a food drive
You gather your family, friends, church community, work colleagues or neighbors to host a food drive. We will provide you with a simple food drive toolkit. Scan this QR code to sign up and get started!
Shop at Dillons to help Our Daily Bread
Register your Dillons rewards in the grocer’s Community Rewards Program and designate Catholic Charities, Inc., Wichita (Code XT082) to receive a rebate based on your purchase.
Direct care provider
Licenseed clinical therapist
Most needed items:
Canned chicken, tuna, seafood and SPAM
Canned mixed fruit
The monies received through this program help Our Daily Bread Food Pantry purchase needed food items. Visit Dillons.com to get started
Canned peas, carrots, spinach and mixed vegetables
Soup, noodles and cereal
World Champion Wichita War Dancer visits Adult Day Services
dult Day Services had a special guest when World Champion Wichita War Dancer Greg Victors performed for the participants and staff. He shared about his heritage, his dances, and his handmade regalia that included porcupine quills! It was an amazing performance and brought joy to many.
Breaking the cycle of violence together.
iss Kansas, Alexis Smith, stopped by Harbor House for a tour and to learn about our mission to end domestic violence. Her platform for healthy relationships aligns with the advocate work of Harbor House and the SAFE Project.
Catholic Charities serves over 2,000 survivors and children of domestic violence each year with the goal of breaking the cycle of violence against women who are trying to escape abusive relationships.
There are many ways you can help people experiencing abuse and raise awareness for domestic violence.
Talk about healthy relationships
Walk in The Purple Mile, a domestic violence walk on Oct. 12 on the W.S.U. campus
Participate in Wear Purple Day on Oct. 17
Volunteer at Harbor House
Host a Stuff the Box hygiene and household supply drive
Shop the Harbor House Amazon wish list
Financially support Harbor House at Give.CatholicCharitiesWichita.org
We are thankful for brave survivors like Miss Kansas who use their voice to raise awareness about domestic violence and healthy relationships. Grandma Capsa featured in
Scan for all the links on how to get involved.
If something about your relationship scares you or you believe that you and your children are not safe, Harbor House is here to help.
randma Capsa” Reed was featured in the Haysville Sun-Times for the work she does with the Foster Grandparent program for Clearwater Elementary East and Clearwater Intermediate Center.
She has been a classroom foster grandparent with Catholic Charities for approximately 15 years and her favorite aspect is seeing the children understand what she has been teaching them.
Help a child feel valued as a classroom Foster Grandparent
Tutor and mentor children in local schools and daycares
Flexible work 15-40 hours a week
Make new friends of all ages
Must be 55 or older
Earn a tax-free stipend if income requirement are met*
Providing hope for brighter futures
s summer winds down and the school year has started, it’s a season of new beginnings. New routines, new rhythms, new boxes of crayons, planners, and goals. Here at Catholic Charities, our fresh start began with our new fiscal year on July 1 and an innovative, forward-looking fiveyear strategic plan.
With a redefined vision and mission, we will focus on five key priorities in the coming years, providing food, shelter, and other essential services. We will continue to coordinate and deliver care in our areas of expertise and collaborate with community partners as we strive to stabilize and empower every person we serve.
Achieving the many ambitious goals set out in our strategic plan is certainly daunting but we will embrace the challenge because the work we do is life changing. Consider:
The mother who arrived at St. Anthony Family Shelter, unemployed and with hungry children, who embraced the shelter’s programs,
found a job within a week, and was able to quickly move her family into a new apartment.
The woman fleeing from domestic violence who could not find freedom from her abuser without our outreach services and went on to gain employment and find safe and stable housing.
The young man who lived at Harbor House with his mother when he started kindergarten and later invited shelter staff to his high school graduation, in gratitude for all they did for he and his family.
As I reflect on these successes, I am reminded that the work we do at Catholic Charities is not just about meeting immediate needs, but truly about helping the people we serve begin again. Every night of shelter we provide, every meal we serve, and every supportive service we deliver is about building a future of possibility for people who are experiencing poverty, abuse, homelessness, or living with disability.
Strategic Plan
As always, it is only through your generosity that we can help the people we serve begin again, fully aligned with our renewed mission and new strategic plan. Your support is the foundation upon which our work is built, allowing us to serve with compassion, advocacy, respect, and excellence as we provide hope for brighter futures. For affording us the opportunity to do this, we are grateful beyond measure.
With sincere gratitude,
Traci Kennedy, Executive Director
Southeast Kansas Services new location S
outheast Kansas Services at Catholic Charities in Pittsburg, Kansas has moved to a new location at 1005 E. Jefferson St.
This ministry office serves the needs of the homeless and abused in an 11-county area primarily focusing on homelessness prevention by stabilizing housing through resource assistance and financial literacy. Our staff takes a team approach to ensure each individual's needs are met.
Foster Grandparent Program
Immigration Services
OVW Transitional Housing
Rapid Re-Housing
Southeast Kansas Services received the 2024 Community Foundation of Southeast Kansas - Basic Human Needs Grant
Counties served by Catholic Charities Counties served through Southeast Kansas Services (SEK) Catholic Charities offices (Wichita & Pittsburg)
Supportive Services for Veteran Families Cana counseling
Seeds for Success
Southeast Kansas Services
Queen Bees are all a buzz
e are excited to share our Queen Bees with you soon! There is still time to nominate a Queen Bee for the campaign!
Since 2017, the Queen Bee campaign has called attention to the inspiring professional and philanthropic work of women in our community, while also raising essential funds to support the work of Harbor House Domestic Violence Shelter and St. Anthony Family Shelter. The initiative is a platform for recognition, and an opportunity to bring hope, strength, and resiliency to those seeking safe haven in our shelter ministries.
Learn More
If you are interested in learning more about this opportunity, please connect with Valerie White, by calling 316-264-8344, ext. 1262 or emailing vwhite@CatholicCharitiesWichita.org.
Ministry Corner
Adult Day Services Garden Club gardeners tended to the vegetable garden and shared the produce with the cook for lunches.
Casey Speer and her therapy dog, Bogey, have been visiting Harbor House twice a month. The families staying in shelter love having them visit!
Maize South Middle School volunteers cleaned the playground at St. Anthony Family Shelter, pulling weeds, and sweeping the sidewalks. Thank you for your willingness to give back to the community!
Become a Servant of Hope D
onors who commit to making monthly or quarterly gifts to Catholic Charities become part of our Servants of Hope recurring giving program.
Recurring gifts create a steady stream of revenue each month which helps us budget more accurately.
To learn more visit CatholicCharitiesWichita.org/ Servants-of-Hope
United Way of the Plains hosted a toy drive and volunteers passed out toys to the children at Our Daily Bread Food Pantry.
KansasCOM medical students were on hand at Our Daily Bread Food Pantry, Adult Day Services and Harbor House to help with various tasks.
Some of our foster grandparents participated in a summer book club to learn more about coping tools by studying the book “Understanding Childhood Trauma.”
Photo courtesy of Cannon Ball/United Way of the Plains
Catholic Charities welcomes new board members
Todd Anciaux , Kristen Buckles, Gerard Eck , Todd Miller, Josina Sharau and Rev. Matt Siegman have joined the Catholic Charities Board of Directors and will serve an initial three-year term.
Anciaux is the president of Commerce Bank and a member of St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church.
Buckles is a commercial banker at Fidelity Bank and a member of St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church.
Eck is a commercial loan officer at Legacy Bank and is a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Colwich.
Miller is the president of Call I.T. and attends St. Elizabeth Anne Seaton Catholic Church.
Sharau is community volunteer and homemaker, and a member of St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church.
Rev. Siegman is a pastor at St. Joseph Catholic Church.
Catholic Charities is guided by a board of directors that represents the community and actively supports the agency’s mission. Directors share their expertise with Catholic Charities and take the lead in setting strategic priorities for the organization.
Estate Planning
Through estate planning, donors can leave a lasting legacy that will sustain Catholic Charities for years to come. Planning ahead (planned giving) and working with a tax professional, donors can also enjoy significant tax benefits both during their lifetime and afterward.
You can participate in planned giving by:
Leaving a bequest in your will or revocable trust.
A life-income contribution naming Catholic Charities as a beneficiary, such as a charitable gift annuity or charitable remainder trust.
Establishing a charitable lead trust to assist both your beneficiaries and Catholic Charities.
LEARN MORE
To learn more about how you can leave a lasting legacy by including Catholic Charities in your estate plan, contact Valerie White at VWhite@CatholicCharitiesWichita.org or call her at (316) 264-8344, etc. 1262.
Kristen Buckles
Todd Anciaux
Todd Miller
Rev. Matt Siegman
Gerard Eck
Josina Sharau
