With the recent cold snap, providing shelter for Wichita's homeless population becomes top of mind. Tomorrow, for the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service, you could put a day off to work on the renovation of a center that will provide services and shelter to homeless teens in our city.
The "extreme makeover" of the center at the Midtown Good Neighbor Center, in the basement of the church at 1157 N. Emporia, began in November and is hoped to be virtually finished when tomorrow's work is done.
“Finishing this project on Martin Luther King Day is a tribute to one of our nation’s greatest leaders. Dr. King was devoted to helping advance those in need and this project will help some of our city’s neediest. I can’t think of a better way to show him honor than to bring a community together in service for a common cause,” said Nola Brown, director of Volunteer Kansas.
Contributing to the renovation have been Volunteer Kansas, which provided a $32,000 grant along with ICT S.O.S (an organization committed to ending human trafficking and sexual exploitation), which have recruited and organized a multitude of volunteers who have donated their time and own resources to create what will be Wichita’s only center dedicated to homeless youth. Though dozens of volunteers are already planning to work on finishing the center, more hands and resources are welcome. Contact Nola Brown with Volunteer Kansas to offer your help at 316-260-9479, 405-309-9479, or email her at nbrown@northrockinc.com.
Once completed, the space will be used by the Street Outreach Team to provide services such as housing assessments, mentoring, showers, and laundry to Wichita’s homeless teen population.
In 2011, Wichita Children’s Home Street Outreach picked up 203 youth on Safe Place rescues and provided a safe place for 1,069 youth on Thursday nights as part of group meetings. The newly renovated space will make it possible to serve an even greater population.
The Street Outreach program, funded by United Way of the Plains and the QuikTrip Corporation, is WCH community service designed to take resources directly to at-risk youths on the street, in community locations such as recreation centers, as well as shopping malls and schools. The outreach program provides youth access to a comprehensive array of services such as crisis intervention counseling, shelter and runaway programs. The need for volunteers, supplies and services for the teens is ongoing, 365 days a year.
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