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Located at 810 North Holyoke, the wichita Children's

home exists to serve Wichita's at-risk children ranging

from age 0 to 22. It does so through emergency and temporary

residence, Street Outreach, Foster Care arrangements,

BRIDGES, and other social services.

The Wichita Children's Home was founded

in 1888; the city's first orphanage. Today it remains the only emergency facility specifically for children. Let's take a

TOUR

In 2010, volunteers

accounted for 9,665

hours of service to the

WCH. They estimated that

value to be $211,844!!

Volunteers here are

often very regular. I have

been priviledged to work

with Pat, a retired

woman who entirely

runs the clothing

donations by volunteer.

She alone is there at

least 3 days a week

for several hours.

As previously stated, the WCH serves children ages 0-22. These can be admitted by law enforcement, parents, social workers, or they can admit themselves.

Children at the home are abused, runaways, in the foster care system, homeless, or without parents or guardians for any reason.

Generally, children under the age of 13 are placed quickly into foster care homes. The WCH serves as a placement facility, and keeps the children until they are placed in a home.

Foster Care Statistics:

Children in Family Foster care, ages 0-17: 692

Teens at the shelter: 1092

Teen boys in residential 90 day care: 50

BRIDGES has two parts. The first is a program designed to transition youth ages 16 to 23 to adulthood. It works with Quik Trip and Davis-Moore to provide internships and jobs. It also helps youth recieve diplomas or GEDs; successfully seeing 100% of the youth receive those in 2010. 50% of the youth are currently employed.

Total youth served: 125

BRIDGES part two is in place to teach young mothers parenting skills. It partners with "Child Start's 2nd Street," a teen center in Wichita. It is based on parenting practice with supervision and coaching. There are 22 parents in this program and 28 children.

Street Outreach

This program primarily targets homeless youth. This program is constantly at capacity, although the WCH always reserves beds for the Outreach

program. Street Outreach has developed

the "Safe Place" campaign, which you

may have seen around Wichita! The logo

(Shown below) is on Quik Trips and

other participating esatblishments

around Wichita, such as city buses,

the Public Library and its branches,

Police Stateions, Fire Stations, and

The health Department. In 2010,the

WCH responded to 203 Safe Place

rescues.

Families KAN

This project seeks to prevent out of home placement

for the safety and utmost concern of the children. These

are in instances that do not include abuse or neglect.

The Wichita Children's Home is supported by United Way, Private Donors, Government Grants, Program Services, and Investments. It literally uses every dollar, so every donation and hour of service makes a difference!

Interested?

Contact Beth Thummel at WCH (316) 684-6581, ext. 234, or email her at beth@wch.org!

Visit wch.org to see volunteer opportunities!

Opportunities include:

Holiday Volunteer,

Donation sorting,

Helping Hand, Mom's Day Out,

Cooking Instructor,

Educational Assistant,

Gardener, Child Care Provider,

and School Transportation.

Outside of volunteers, WCH has, on staff, several Social Workers,

Marketing professionals, Life Skills coaches, Teaching Parents, Social Services Coordinators, a full time cook, Program Directors, Site Coordinators, Financial Officers, Foster Care Coordinators, Counselors, BRIDGES Coordinators, Street Outreach Coordinators, Street Outreach Staff (beginning at age 16), Volunteer Coordinator, and a Development Director. It's an impressive and dedicated team who works closely with lawyers, families, officials, and other social service individuals.

The Home also has support from

an advisory council,

and a board of trustees.

The past 5 weeks, I have been volunteering a few hours a week sorting donations. I also have had the opportunity to do childcare for short amounts of time when children are brought in.

I have learned a lot by being exposed to this environment. I feel that it is preparing me for social work. I see people working hard in a system that doesn't always work, for a population that doesn't necessarily want or appreciate the services. It has been very eye opening. I am impressed with the level of professionalism and kindess I have found in each staff member. The WCH is doing great things for the community. It is doing something no one else in the area is, which is a beautiful thing.

My tour, given by Beth Thummel, the volunteer coordinator, began here.

All visitors must check in and out immediately inside the front doors.

Out front, it is common to see several cars, including law enforcement vehicles.

Youth attending weekly SOS group: 836

Youth contacted on Street: 6039

Youth receiving Danger and Violence Prevention: 1208

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