Need help this holiday? Shelter, food, toys, other resources available in Wichita KS

In a lot of ways, the official end to the COVID-19 health emergency in the U.S. this past spring didn’t make a whole lot of difference to many Wichita-area organizations that help people in need. Requests for assistance remain up. Donations are relatively flat. And when it comes to accessing certain services, several individuals and families are on waiting lists.

Nowadays, inflation is driving a lot of the need, everything from hunger to housing, local help organization officials say.

This year, like others, several agencies, nonprofits and other entities in and around Wichita are helping those in need get through the holiday season. The assistance they offer runs the gamut: Rent payments. Utilities. Temporary shelter. Food. Toys.

There’s even a program that helps eligible applicants pay for things like car repairs, medical bills and funeral costs.

Organizations suggest people apply for help as early as possible so they don’t miss out.

“These deadlines come and go much quicker than people are ready for,” said Mark Stump, director of community services for the United Way of the Plains, which runs a one-stop shop for resources that people can access 24 hours a days by dialing 2-1-1. The free service currently fields an average of 5,100 calls a month, up from last year, Stump said.

“Unfortunately, two weeks prior to Christmas it will hit people, and there’s nothing out there at that point,” he said.

Food assistance is widely available year round through pantries and ministries like The Lord’s Diner, which offers a hot dinnertime meal for free, no questions asked, every single night of the year.

But for things like toys and gifts, application deadlines set by some holiday help programs — the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree and Star of Hope, for example — have already passed.

Operation Holiday, run by HumanKind Ministries, which also operates homeless shelters in Wichita, is taking applications for a few more days, through Nov. 30. The program gives out Dillons gift cards, blankets, children’s coats and other winter wear, non-perishable and fresh foods and pet food to Sedgwick County residents who meet income guidelines. It also gives out children’s toys through a partnership with U.S. Marine Corp Reserve Toys for Tots.

You can apply at www.operationholiday.org or call 316-777-6097 for times and locations to apply in person.

In the first two weeks of its application period, Operation Holiday received help requests from more than 2,100 households with more than 7,200 individuals, up almost 20% over the same time period last year, said Greer Cowley, senior director of strategic partnerships and donor relations for HumanKind Ministries.

Most years, the program serves 12,000 to 15,000 individuals,” she said.

This year, Operation Holiday is anticipating more, over 15,000.

“We’ve seen an increase gradually since 2019, 2020 until today, and it’s continuing to increase,” Cowley said.

Requests for shelter are also up — HumanKind averages dozens of calls a day, Cowley said — at a time when its year-round shelter for families and other facilities aimed at tackling homelessness are “always full.”

Part of the reason for the increased need is the end to pandemic assistance, such as stimulus checks and eviction moratoriums, said Mary Beth Chambers, director of marketing and communications for Catholic Charities, which serves 900 to 1,000 households a month at its Our Daily Bread Food Pantry and runs the St. Anthony shelter for families. The shelter stays full and receives six to 10 calls a day from families that qualify if there were room, she said.

“As those (COVID-19 era) programs and policies have ended, more people are seeing the challenges of making their rent, paying their higher utilities, paying more for food. So that’s creating an issue,” Chambers said.

Rising prices from inflation are also to blame.

“We’re having to purchase more and more food, and we see the same things that folks are seeing in the grocery store,” said Brian Walker, president and CEO of the Kansas Food Bank, which provides food to pantries, soup kitchens, shelters and other programs in 85 counties in Kansas.

“We see the price increases,” he said.

If you’re struggling to get through the holidays, here are some places that might be able to help. There are options if you are homeless, low-income, recently unemployed, retired, single, have a family, disabled or are part of the cash-strapped working class, among other situations. Some organizations with resources that are currently maxed out have waiting lists or are referring people elsewhere, organization officials say, so don’t hesitate to call.

Stump, with the United Way, recommends utilizing the city’s free food resources to free up cash for other bills in case you either don’t qualify for a certain kind of assistance or funding has run out.

He also urged people to contact their utility, housing and other providers for extensions and payment arrangements as soon as they realize they can’t pay a bill, instead of waiting for an eviction or shut-off notice.

“If you wait for it to be shut off, it complicates everything so much,” he said.

If you know of other resources or your organization wants to be included on this list, email aleiker@wichitaeagle.com or call 316-268-6644.

To donate or volunteer, contact organizations directly.

WHERE TO GET HELP

Overall help

▪ The United Way of the Plains is a one-stop shop for free and confidential assistance referrals for needs, including food, tax assistance and help paying rent and utilities, health care, childcare resources, housing and other issues and bills. Dial 2-1-1 from your phone any time, text your zip code to 898-211 or go to www.211kansas.org. The organization covers 98 Kansas counties and has more than 3,000 agencies in its database.

▪ The Wichita Police Department’s Homeless Outreach Team helps members of the city’s unhoused population with relocation, housing, job and mental health referrals and family reunification. Call 316-854-3013. For a comprehensive list of services and resources, visit www.wichita.gov/homeless.

▪ Many churches also offer various sorts of help, especially to members. Call them directly for information.

Toys, winter coats & more

▪ His Helping Hands, a community service ministry of Central Christian Church, is holding a used toy give-away in December. Call 316-838-8528 to make an appointment to shop. The organization also offers clothing, furniture and household items. Call or visit www.ccc.org/hishelpinghands for information and eligibility requirements. The application deadline for this year’s new-toy program already passed.

▪ Operation Holiday is accepting applications until Nov. 30 from low-income households that need help with food, children’s coats, toys and more. Individuals and families in Sedgwick County can apply online at www.operationholiday.org or in person at one of seven sites: Atwater Neighborhood Resource Center, Dear Neighbor Ministries, Evergreen Community Center and Library, Horace Mann Elementary School, HumanKind Ministries, USD 259 Dunbar Learning Center, and USD 259 McKinney Vento Homeless Education Program at the Alvin E. Morris Administrative Center. To see specific days, times and addresses for in-person applications, go to www.humankindwichita.org/events/operation-holiday and click on the “in-person application site link.” Proof of income and ID for all household members required. Call 316-264-9303 with questions.

▪ Marine Toys for Tots is partnering with Operation Holiday to distribute toys this year, so families need to sign up at Operation Holiday by Nov. 30.

Food & groceries

▪ Our Daily Bread Food Pantry, 2825 S. Hillside, is open 8:30 a.m. to noon on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays and from 9 a.m. to noon on the fourth Saturday of the month — except for in November and December, when it will be open on the third Saturdays, Nov. 18 and Dec. 16, to accommodate the holidays. The pantry will be closed from Dec. 26 to Jan. 2. Individuals and families can visit once a month and select two to three days worth of shelf-stable and fresh foods based on household size. There are no income requirements, but the pantry asks to see ID for everyone in the household and proof of address within the past 60 days. Call 316-262-8898 or visit www.catholiccharitieswichita.org/our-daily-bread-food-pantry for more information.

▪ Paxton’s Blessing Box has dozens of free-standing, red, 24-hour micro-pantries around Sedgwick County that offer a variety of non-perishable foods while they last, no questions asked. See www.paxtonsblessingbox.com for locations. If you’re in a position to donate, canned and non-perishable foods can be left in any of the boxes for others to take.

▪ The Salvation Army has mobile food pantries that operate from 2 to 4 p.m. Monday-Wednesday during the third week of each month at various locations until food runs out. Mondays at Goldenrod Park, 1340 S. Pattie; Tuesdays at the Colvin Community Center, 2820 S. Roosevelt; and Wednesdays at Fairmount Park, 1647 N. Yale, according to the United Way’s resource list. Call 316-263-2769.

▪ The Shocker Support Locker is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday during the fall semester to Wichita State University students, faculty and staff with a Shocker ID who need food, clothing, toiletries, baby products and other items. The locker is currently located on campus, in Room 103 of Grace Wilkie Hall. Go to www.wichita.edu/student_life/sga/Shocker_Food_Locker.php for more information.

▪ Several other pantries are open and operating. Dial 2-1-1 or check www.211kansas.org.

Hot or sack meals (daily or weekdays)

▪ Breakthrough/Episcopal Social Services serves a free, brown bag meal from 8:15 to 9 a.m. weekdays at 1010 N. Main in Wichita. Call 316-269-4160.

▪ The Homeless Resource Center, 402 E. Second St., gives out lunch tickets weekdays from 11 to 11:15 a.m. to homeless individuals. Tickets are required to eat. Call 316-265-9371.

▪ The Lord’s Diner serves hot meals daily, no questions asked, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at both bricks-and-mortar locations, 520 N. Broadway and 2825 S. Hillside. Meals are served year round, including on Christmas. Its food trucks have to-go meals from 4 to 6 p.m. weekdays at Atwater Neighborhood Resource Center, 2755 E. 19th St., and at Hilltop Community Center, 1329 S. Terrace. You can pick up a to-go meal from 4 to 5 p.m. at the Evergreen Resource Center, 2700 N. Woodland. Call 316-266-4966 or visit www.thelordsdiner.org.

Utilities, rent, medical & other bills

▪ Center of Hope provides emergency assistance to people facing eviction or utility shut off in Wichita and the surrounding counties. Call 316-267-0222 from 9 a.m. to noon and from 1 to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information, go to www.centerofhopeinc.org/emergency-assistance. The Center also provides assistance through its Project DESERVE program to current Evergy customers who either meet household income guidelines or have a household member who is disabled or 65 or older. Apply online at www.centerofhopeinc.org/project-deserve or print out a paper application at that address.

▪ The Low Income Energy Assistance Program, or LIEAP, helps income-eligible households pay part of their energy costs. Benefits are provided once a year. To qualify, an adult living at the address must be personally responsible for the energy costs and must prove recent payments. You can apply for 2024 benefits from Dec. 18 to March 29 online at www.dcf.ks.gov/services/ees/Pages/EnergyAssistance.aspx, or call 888-369-4777 for a paper application.

▪ Share the Season, in its 24th year, helps residents in Wichita and the surrounding area struggling to pay utility, rent, medical, car repair and funeral expenses and other bills due to a recent major event causing financial strain. Households can receive up to $1,500 in assistance once every three years. Payments are made directly to vendors. To be eligible, at least one adult in the household must be working or unemployed for no more than three months and actively looking for work. Those who are retired must be receiving social security retirement income and disabled veteran applicants must be receiving veteran’s benefits. Apply at www.sharetheseason.net. Questions? Call 316-425-6148 or email cinthia.estrada@usc.salvationarmy.org. The program is taking applications until all funds are disbursed.

▪ Look up other organizations that may be able to help with funding for utilities at www.dcf.ks.gov/services/ees/Pages/HelpOrg.aspx.

Pet Food

▪ The Wichita Animal Action League has several area “pet food banks” listed at www.waalrescue.org/community-pet-food-banks. Contact banks for details and guidelines. Email rescue@waalrescue.org for emergency assistance.

▪ Another Day Animal Sanctuary hosts a pet pantry on a first-come, first-served basis from noon to 1 p.m. on the first Sunday of the month at 1011 W. 55th St. South in Wichita. People should check the organization’s Facebook page to ensure it’s open before visiting. Households that can’t afford pet food and supplies can receive help every 90 days, up to three times a year. Valid ID and proof of address required. Breeders are prohibited. The pantry is run on donations, so products vary. Call 316-469-5511 or visit www.anotherdaysanctuary.com.

Phones

▪ There are a handful of resources for people in the Wichita area who don’t have phones and need them. Call SafeLink Phones at 866-234-4357, Standup Wireless at 316-794-9595 or Kansas Wireless at 316-500-6533 for more information and eligibility requirements.

▪ You can use phones for free at Wichita’s three neighborhood resource centers, which are open 8:30 a.m. to noon and 1-5:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and from 8:30 a.m. to noon and 1-5 p.m. Friday. The center addresses and phone numbers are: Atwater, 2755 E. 19th St., 316-303-8016; Colvin, 2820 S. Roosevelt, 316-303-8029; and Evergreen, 2601 N. Arkansas, 316-303-8042.

Shelter and housing

▪ The Emergency Winter Shelter, 2220 E. 21st St., is a free, 24-hour, no-barrier shelter for homeless individuals. Meals and other amenities and supportive services provided. Open through March 31. Call 316-264-8051 with questions.

▪ The Housing First program works with city and county agencies to give rent assistance to move people who are homeless into permanent housing. Call 316-462-3700 for more information.

▪ The Inn, run by HumanKind Ministries, is a low-barrier, 60-bed, 24-hour shelter at 320 E. Central for families, couples and people with pets. Meals, clothing and other basic living essentials provided. Call 316-264-8051 for availability.

▪ Union Rescue Mission, 2800 N. Hillside, has an overnight shelter for homeless men. Private buses provide free transportation to and from Second and Topeka each morning and evening. Meals are provided. Free showers, laundry services and clothing as needed are available. Emergency shelter stays are limited to 30 nights without a plan to end dependency, potentially longer with one. Intake is 3-6 p.m. or anytime for first-time guests. Call 316-687-4673 or go to www.urmwichita.org.

▪ United Methodist Open Door Homeless Resource Center, 402 E. Second St., provides a day shelter for homeless individuals with services, including showers and laundry, from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Call 316-265-9371.

▪ St. Anthony Family Shelter helps families with minor children who are homeless and need emergency housing. Call 316-264-7233. All adults seeking housing must have a photo ID and children must have some form of ID.

▪ Supportive Services for Veteran Families helps low-income, legitimately homeless veterans and their loved ones — and also those at risk of homelessness — in a 25-county area in south-central and southeastern Kansas with things such as rent and utilities, emergency hotel stays, transportation, case management and other assistance. Call 316-202-0637 or go to www.catholiccharitieswichita.org/ssvf.

▪ Several city facilities, including public library branches and the neighborhood resource centers, are open to the public and can provide a brief reprieve during the daytime. Check www.wichitalibrary.org for library locations and times.

Help with other personal or family issues

Holidays typically come with an uptick in household member and intimate partner abuse, and often with extra stress and financial pressures that can lead to mental health struggles.

For domestic violence, sex assault and other abuse help, contact:

▪ Harbor House’s 24-hour domestic violence, abuse and sexual assault crisis hot line at 316-263-6000 or toll free 866-899-5522. The domestic violence shelter is open during the holidays. Call or visit www.catholiccharitieswichita.org/harbor-house.

▪ StepStone, 316-265-1611

▪ Wichita Family Crisis Center, 316-267-7233

▪ Wichita Area Sexual Assault Center, 316-263-3002

▪ The National Domestic Violence Hotline, 800-799-7233

▪ If you think a child is being abused call 911, the Kansas Protection Reporting Center at 800-922-5330 or local Exploited and Missing Child Unit detectives at 316-660-9478

For counseling and mental health help, contact:

▪ Comcare of Sedgwick County’s 24-hour crisis hot line at 316-660-7500 for mental health and substance abuse issues

▪ Catholic Charities’ Cana Counseling provides depression, anxiety, marital and family counseling services for a fee. Insurance and Medicaid accepted. For those who are uninsured, cost is based on ability to pay. Call 316-263-6941.

▪ You can also dial 2-1-1 for United Way of the Plains referrals.