A home away from home
ever in a million years could you have told me that I would have been in a shelter, let alone having my family there,” said Carl Cope. He and his wife Yiyesha found themselves in a situation where they had never been before and were staying in their truck. They took the first step by reaching out for help. From the first day they walked in, they felt supported and reassured that things would be okay.
Carl, a textile employee for 20 years and the breadwinner for the family fell ill from Covid-19, altering the path of his and his family's life. He found himself in a position where he was unable to work due to his health issues, thus losing the family’s stable income. The enormous stress took a toll on them, especially Carl who had feelings of inadequacy further affecting his mental health.
The Copes were an average American family. Dad went to work every day and mom was home with the children and doing catering part-time to make ends meet. They were responsible and had a savings account. The day came when their savings ran out and they had to decide which bills needed to be paid first. Reality hit them even harder when they received a notice that their electricity would be turned off.
Yiyesha got to the point where she decided to seek out support for her family. She was familiar with the work of Catholic Charities and
called St. Anthony Family Shelter where they were welcomed with open arms and filled with hope. While Carl was reluctant at first, he quickly realized that his preconceived notion of a homeless shelter was not at all true. Both Carl and Yiyesha saw other people who had experienced what they were going through.
Home is more than a roof over your head. It is safety, love, comfort and a place to grow. Carl and Yiyesha along with their children are truly grateful to St. Anthony Family Shelter for the home they had there and for keeping their family together. With the assistance of shelter staff and volunteers, the Copes were encouraged every step of the way. They secured employment, rebuilt their lives, found a new home to call their own and are looking ahead to the future.
C ONNECTIONS CATHOLIC CHARITIES
Carl and Yiyesha, a family recently stabilized and empowered through St. Anthony Family Shelter and Rapid Rehousing
LeAnne Miller
Senior Director of Strategic Growth
Diane Peltier
Senior Director of Operations
Catholic Charities expands executive team
Catholic Charities Wichita announces expanded executive team. LeAnne Miller, former senior director of operations, takes on the newly established position as the senior director of strategic growth. Diane Peltier, former director of grants was promoted to senior director of operations. Rounding out the executive team includes senior director of finance Patrick Butler and executive director Traci Kennedy. The expansion comes in preparation for the July 1, 2024 implementation of the agency’s updated mission and vision strategic launch.
Miller’s extensive background in development and leadership is worthy for the newly created role encompassing strategic growth as she paves the way for future success at Catholic Charities of Wichita. She will be responsible for driving growth, enhancing the agency’s visibility and reputation, and fostering strong relationships to support the agency’s mission, programs and strategic plan.
Peltier's notable level of expertise in non-profit management and operations makes her suited to understand the complexities of the agency to maximize impact in the community. She will be responsible for agency operations and program service delivery, emphasizing mission effectiveness, compliance, and continuous quality improvement.
Deepest gratitude to you, our supporters
By Traci Kennedy, Executive Director
t Catholic Charities, we are constantly surrounded by those in need. We see the faces of hunger, homelessness, and despair. But we also see incredible resilience, hope, and a profound sense of gratitude.
The people we serve every day have a deep appreciation for the smallest of things. A warm meal, a safe place to sleep, a listening ear – these are all things that many of us take for granted, but for those we serve, they can mean the world.
Their gratitude is a constant reminder of the importance of the work we do. It inspires us to keep going, even on the most challenging days. It reminds us that even the smallest act of kindness can make a big difference in someone's life.
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 meet the needs of our clients.
Currently, we have approximately 115 Servants of Hope who together give nearly $8,000 each month with an average gift amount of $67.
To learn more, scan the QR code below, to visit CatholicCharitiesWichita.org/ Servants-of-Hope, or email giving@ CatholicCharitiesWichita. org to begin your Servant of Hope journey.
“It is an amazing feeling to put a smile on somebody’s heart by giving them peace, comfort and happiness. Anyone who has come to Catholic Charities has been helped and that means the world to me and my family,” said Carl Cope, a recent resident of St. Anthony Family Shelter. Carl and his wife Yiyesha found themselves in a situation where they had never been before they turned to us for help.
Just as the Copes expressed gratitude to us for helping them in their time of need, in turn, I express my deepest gratitude to you, our incredible supporters and partners.
Without your commitment to our mission, we wouldn’t be able to help families like the Copes. You are the
backbone of Catholic Charities, truly living stewardship as a way of life by providing the financial resources, volunteer power, and collaborative spirit that allows us to serve our community.
“...’Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.” – Matthew 25:40
For your response to our obligation to care for our brothers and sisters in Christ, thank you!
Most sincerely,
Most needed items:
Canned chicken, tuna, seafood and SPAM
Canned mixed fruit
Canned peas, carrots, spinach and mixed vegetables
Soup, noodles and cereal
Our Daily Bread Food Pantry sees increase in need
Our Daily Bread Food Pantry relies heavily on community donations to serve over 1,000 families each month.
As kids are home for summer break, we often think of lemonade stands, picnics and summer fun. Many families' finances are already stretched thin. They will be trying to accommodate for the additional meals each day for their family and children.
Our Daily Bread Food Pantry’s summer food insecurity operations increase significantly due to the children who are home for the summer and not receiving meals at school.
Celebrating the hearts of our volunteers
olunteers are the backbone of many organizations, including Catholic Charities. Their dedication and selflessness make a big difference in the lives of others and in our community.
April marked Volunteer Appreciation Month and we are truly thankful for our volunteers of all ages!
You or your organization can support hungry families in our community by:
Host a food drive
Volunteer at the pantry
Host a cash donation drive
Pick up a few extra items at the grocery store next time you are there
For more information to donate food or host a food drive, call 316-264-8344, ext. 1262 or email giving@catholiccharitieswichita.org
Aramark managers from across the state of Kansas used their semi-annual meeting as an opportunity for team building to put together canvas bags of food for Harbor House.
A group of East High School students helped refresh and clean up the landscaped areas at St. Anthony Family Shelter.
Ms. Collins and Ms. Barnick’s kindergarten classes from Magdalen Catholic School collected canned goods and helped stock the shelves at Our Daily Bread Food Pantry.
The gift of gratitude
Since 1943, Catholic Charities of Wichita has relied on individuals, families, foundations and business to be able to serve thousands of people each year and they are truly thankful for everyone who supports the work to share God’s love with the hungry, homeless, lonely, disabled and abused.
Catholic Charities honored five individuals for the contributions they made to share the mission of the organization during the 2024 Night of Joy, A Gratitude Gala by Catholic Charities. They were honored as part of a recognition program created to inspire both current and future donors alike to give their time, talents and treasure.
“Back where I come from there are people who do nothing all day but good deeds.
They are called phila..er..phila..er, yes, Good Deed Doers.”
- WIZARD OF OZ
of Night Joy
Thank you to our 2024 recipients
Anne Oxler
Spirit of Joy Volunteer Recipient
Presented to an outstanding volunteer who embodies what it means to be the hands and feet of Jesus for the people that Catholic Charities serves.
Anne is a member of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton parish. She has been married to her high school sweetheart, Doug for 54 years. They have five children, 14 grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren with two more on the way.
Anne has been a volunteer at Catholic Charities for many years, having joined the advisory council for St. Anthony Family Shelter with her dear friend, Linda, about 15 years ago. According to Anne, her efforts to live stewardship as a way of life through her work with us is a way to thank God for the immense blessings in her life. The St. Anthony Family Shelter ministry answered her call to advocate for families and mothers.
Anne believes her life has been enriched by the work she has done at Catholic Charities; however, we feel she has enriched us with her dedication to those we serve.
Sharon and Dan Leiker
Servants of Hope Outstanding
Philanthropists Recipient
Presented to outstanding donors who faithfully support the mission of Catholic Charities through their recurring gifts.
Sharon and Dan are members of St. Thomas Aquinas parish. They have been married for 38 years and have one adult son.
Early in their relationship, Sharon and Dan became aware of God’s blessings bestowed upon them and giving back to others became a priority in their lives. After touring several of our ministries, they saw first-hand how great the need was to support Catholic Charities. St. Anthony Family Shelter, Harbor House and Adult Day Services were placed on their hearts as a way they could directly impact families and children.
Sharon and Dan believe their giving has been directed by the Holy Spirit and through prayer. They have also been inspired by the work of others who share their time, talent, and treasure in gratitude.
Wanda and Stan Gegen
Caritas Outstanding Philanthropists Recipients
Presented to outstanding donors who exemplify charity and Christian love of humankind demonstrated by giving to Catholic Charities for 20 or more years.
Wanda and Stan have been members of Sacred Heart in Colwich for over 50 years. They have five children and six grandchildren.
When the Gegens learned about Catholic Charities, they saw an organization that provided to families in need, supported abused women, fed the hungry, and provided counseling and senior care services...and their desire to support our agency grew.
Harbor House holds a particularly special place in their hearts as they experienced the loss of a family member through domestic violence. For Wanda and Stan, providing a haven for those experiencing abuse serves a special need in our community.
What is Night of Joy?
Night of Joy is a gratitude gala to show our appreciation those who made significant contributions of time, talents and treasure during the previous year.
In just its third year, Night of Joy is quickly becoming one of the “must-attend” annual galas in the Wichita community. More than 200 people gathered at Prairie Hill Vineyard in Colwich, Kansas on April 13 for an evening of food, entertainment, fellowship and giving.
Guests enjoyed a plated dinner, spirits tasting, a local illusionist and moments of gratitude for our donors hosted by Traci Kennedy, executive director and Chris Goebel, board chair. The evening also allowed guests to renew their support for the agency.
To learn more about 2025 Night of Joy gratitude gala, contact LeAnne Miller (ext. 1221) or Valerie White (ext. 1262) at 316-264-8344.
Velazquez earns DOJ accreditation
The Immigration Services team at Catholic Charities has been serving in the community for 25 years providing benefit eligibility determination for citizenship, work authorizations and other related services including: family immigration applications, attorney consultations and applications for Violence Against Women Act (VAWA).
They have recently added a Department of Justice (DOJ) accreditation, allowing case manager, Carmen Velazquez, the ability to join our program participants in court to help directly with court sessions. If you are in need of assistance, please call 316-264-0282.
Subaru sharing the love with Harbor House
Catholic Charities is grateful to Brandon Steven Motors for once again selecting Harbor House at Catholic Charities as the local charity to benefit from the annual Subaru Share the Love event. This year, they raised a record breaking $26,542, helping Harbor House at Catholic Charities provide a month of shelter, food and supplies for eight survivors and their children
Foster Grandparent Program
featured by KSN news
Catholic Charities Foster Grandparent Program offers children and grandparents a special bond outside of traditional families. For Kim Ross and Donna Blea, the program is special.
Ross works with students at Dodge Elementary who call her grandma. She provides students with encouragement.
“The kids just flock to you, or you’re walking down the halls. Good morning Grandma Kim, good morning or where have you been? I missed you.”
Ross has worked for nine years as a foster grandparent. The grandparents work in schools and shelters across Sedgwick County, helping children learn.
“They will tell you if something is going on with them. They may not have a grandma.
They’ll tell you I don’t have a grandma. I don’t have a grandpa, or my grandma died, and then, they have you. That’s a blessing,” Ross said.
The grandparents help foster an unlimited source of love. “They have somebody to come in and know they love them unconditionally just because they’re a child,” Donna Blea.
The job gives these grandparents a purpose. “It’s this great thing that I get to do every day. Makes me get out of bed, get dressed and take good care of myself,” Blea said.
“I believe this is the plan that God had for me,” Ross said.
The program is open to people 55 and older and gives a stipend. Catholic Charities is hoping to hire 25 more grandparents.
Story courtesy of KSN
WHEN:
WHERE:
July, 31 | 4 - 7 p.m.
Good Shepherd Hall, Cathedral Campus
430 N. Broadway St. Wichita, KS 67202
Catholic Charities welcomes new faces to development and marketing teams
alerie White joined Catholic Charities as its new major gifts and special projects officer. White ’s experience in fund development is a key component to her new position at Catholic Charities. She will play an integral role in building relationships and execute fundraising initiatives to further empower, stabilize and improve the lives of individuals and families.
JOB FAIR
July 31
Hosted by Catholic Charities
Valerie White
Major Gifts and Special Projects Officer
Laura Fuller Director of Marketing and Communications
Laura Fuller has joined Catholic Charities Wichita as its new director of marketing and communications. Fuller replaces Mary Beth Chambers who recently retired from the position after nearly five years with Catholic Charities.
Fuller brings a wide variety of marketing experience to her new role, where she will focus on sharing the agency’s mission in the Wichita and Southeast Kansas communities. Her role will lead the efforts to tell the story of Catholic Charities to raise awareness of the agency’s work in the community and support the agency’s annual fundraising goals and strategies.
Un"bee"lieveable women doing great things
Be on the lookout for some amazing Queen Bees who mean bees-ness for our shelters!
Catholic Charities is seeking women who would be interested in introducing their family, friends and coworkers to the work of Harbor House Domestic Violence Shelter and St. Anthony Family Shelter in an effort to raise awareness and critical financial support.
For six weeks each fall, Queen Bees will share their platform to raise funds for shelter survivors of domestic violence and homeless families. Our
development team provides access to an online giving platform, a host of tools and guidance to help each Queen Bee have a successful campaign.
Learn More
If you are interested in learning more about this opportunity, please connect with Valerie White, by calling 316-264-8344, ext. 1263 or emailing vwhite@CatholicCharitiesWichita.org
N.
Street
KS 67202-2413
Ministry
One of our classroom Foster Grandparents received the Lyndon Drew Award for going above and beyond in her work serving in her school. Congratulations Grandma Mary! Congratulations to Bonnie Moore, St. Anthony Family Shelter's early childhood specialist, on recently receiving the Early Childhood Impact Award, presented by the Early Childhood Professionals Organization and Child Start for her outstanding work and impact she has on the children and families she serves.
