by Lauren Solidum
Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed.” — Prv 19: 17
Last year, Catholic Charities embarked on a journey to re-envision and relocate Shalom House, our men’s shelter in Kansas City, Kansas. The purpose of the relocation was to increase the overall number of men served and to secure a property that would allow for the development of programming that leads men experiencing homelessness out of poverty once and for all.
We are excited to share that our new location is now opening and it is divinely fitting — the former Sanctuary of Hope archdiocesan retreat center in Kansas City, Kansas. The space will remain a sanctuary of hope, and Catholic Charities is grateful to the archdiocese for their commitment to serving the poor.
Shalom House will be a transitional living program which will serve up to 60 men — a substantial increase from 24 in years past. Men will be referred to Shalom House through a variety of community partners and parishes. Each resident will go through an extensive review prior to entry.
The renovations of Shalom House will allow the program to be more deeply infused with employment and education services. The revamped program will run over a course of 12 months with the ultimate resident goals of achieving permanent housing and employment; improved physical, mental and spiritual health; and a renewed sense of hope.
Why a men’s-only transitional living program? While most do not identify men as “vulnerable,” men experiencing homelessness are most often left without the resources necessary to repair their health, relationships and housing situation.
If we are successful in serving men in need, then Catholic Charities is committed to reviewing the transitional living needs of pregnant women experiencing homelessness, women and children, and families.
The work of Catholic Charities relies on the mobilization of the laity and community members. In our new space, there will be a variety of opportunities to support Shalom House at Sanctuary of Hope from capital expenses to volunteerism, including:
• property and walking trail cleanup
• serving of meals or supporting weekly support groups with refreshments
• coordination of spiritual fellowship groups
• volunteerism within on-site programming such as Family Financial Transformations classes
If you or your parish group are interested in volunteering with Catholic Charities, contact us online at: CCNEKvolunteers@catholiccharitiesks.org or call (913) 433-2081.
Catholic Charities is humbled to begin this next chapter of services and grateful to all who have made this opportunity possible. At Catholic Charities, our mission is to move those we serve from immediate crisis to self-sufficiency — what an incredible opportunity we have through Shalom House.
