from the person in the house whose life is being changed or who is changing the lives of others. The purple and teal colors are associated with domestic violence and sexual assault.
New logo helps Harbor House mark 30 years Since 1992, Harbor House at Catholic Charities has welcomed thousands of domestic violence survivors to its shelter and outreach programs. The welcome and support the survivors are given is now reflected in its first-ever logo. “I can’t think of a better way to celebrate three decades of providing services throughout the community than to unveil our very own Harbor House logo,” says Keri McGregor, program director. “The logo encompasses what our mission is in a subtle, yet powerful, way.” Keri says the logo, designed for Catholic Charities by Trina Sanders, Church of the Magdalen, illustrates the welcome and safety of the shelter. The figure within the house, with arms extended, represents both a welcoming staff member and a survivor who is reaching out for help and hope. The leaves rooted at the base of the house symbolize growth, change, transformation and renewal. They stem
Keri says Harbor House is much more than a shelter. Through shelter and outreach services, Harbor House serves more than 1,500 people a year. Outreach advocacy services guide survivors through the judicial, medical and DCF systems. Case managers assist survivors with employment opportunities, housing options and financial literacy. “Shelter is only a small part of what Harbor House offers,” Keri says. “Our client services are able to meet clients where they are, whether that be in a community setting or in shelter.” “All outreach and shelter services are provided free of charge to survivors with the goal of breaking the cycle of violence against women and their children,” she says. “The only way our staff and volunteers can do this work is thanks to the generosity of countless donors and grant funding partners.”
Harbor House Hotline Available 24/7
(316) 263-6000
Feed the hungry Continued...
Derek says he feels a connection to many of the clients that are served by Catholic Charities because of his own struggles a few years ago. A combination of circumstances led to a stay in a Wichita homeless shelter.
Our Daily Bread is open to all Our Daily Bread Food Pantry at Catholic Charities is open to all from 8:30 a.m. to noon Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, and from 9 a.m. to noon the fourth Saturday of each month. There are no income requirements to receive food, just a need to feed oneself or one’s family.
He grew up outside of Boston, and still proudly exhibits the fast-paced, fasttalking demeanor often associated with Northeasterners. He first came to Wichita as a U.S. Air Force firefighter stationed at McConnell Air Force Base. He joined the service to take advantage of its educational benefits but realized two years later that his 24-hour shift schedule was not conducive to a college class schedule. He honorably discharged and embarked on a warehousing and logistics career that took him to back to Massachusetts and then to Nevada. In time, a health condition led him to apply for disability benefits. As those were denied, his marriage ended. He followed his ex-wife and daughters back to Wichita, eventually gaining custody of his two girls.
or toll-free 1-866-899-5522
He and the girls were homeless for a time, but those difficult times opened a door to a new career. When a person who had helped him at the shelter saw a job opening at COMCARE of Sedgwick County, she knew Derek would be a perfect fit. In 2019, he began his career in social services as a certified peer support specialist and case manager at COMCARE. Two years later, he joined Catholic Charities. The personal knowledge of homelessness and hunger is why Derek appreciates Our Daily Bread’s client choice model and the way that volunteers treat all clients with dignity and respect. “There is a stigma about going to a food pantry which we want to change,” Derek says. “Food insecurity has an impact not only on one’s physical health, but their mental health, how kids perform in school, and much more. “When people come to Our Daily Bread, it’s not about judging them or charity; it is about people helping people in their time of need,” he says.
