NON-PROFIT ORG
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
WICHITA, KS
PERMIT #84
SISTERS OF
ST. JOSEPH
www.dearneighbor.org
ISSUE 2, DECEMBER 2015
1329 S. Bluffview, Wichita, KS 67218
THE GIFT
OF LIFE
God’s gift of life to you each morning is a sign that He has a mission for
you that day.
MAKING IT ADD UP
FOR STRUGGLING FAMILIES
As you know, building relationships can build trust. Dear Neighbor
Ministries continues to work on establishing trusting relationships
with our Hilltop neighbors. We have successfully initiated financial
literacy and job readiness workshops, and created a partnership with
the Hilltop and Neighborhood Development Association. For our
Latino neighbors, we have helped organize an annual Cinco de Mayo
celebration, a Posada Navidena event, as well as print a monthly
neighborhood newsletter in both English and Spanish. We also
have a bi-lingual (Spanish) Outreach Advocate on staff teaching the
Getting Ahead in a Just-Gettin’ – By World workshop in Spanish.
The Getting Ahead curriculum is designed to better understand how our society and the economy work. The classes
are internationally recognized to assist those living with low financial resources to learn to build resources for a better life
by moving from thinking about making a change to creating a plan for reaching the goal of a stable, secure life.
Getting Ahead is the beginning of a long term effort at systemic change one family at a time. It is empowering to those
living with low resources to see that there are some changes they can make which have long term effect on their lives.
We will soon have 11 graduates completing the 15-week Spanish speaking workshop. Please help
us congratulate these participants as they move forward on stabilizing their situations and building
resources.
¡Felicidades!
Feliz Dia Festivos
Any given day at Dear Neighbor Ministries is like — LIFE: often it is
so unpredictable, and the pace can change at any given moment. Our
tasks vary throughout the day, yet the focus does not waiver from our
mission to feed the physical and spiritual needs of the poor, abused and
neglected residents living in our community.
At 8:00 a.m. volunteer receptionist, Liz Sommerhauser begins
welcoming neighbors who have gathered to share stories on
the front porch. The telephone is already ringing and she
hurries to greet the caller. Liz jots down a message about
payee services — the first of many similar phone calls she
will answer today.
Neighborhood block captain, Dominicka, brings her new friend
to fill out a food pantry request. They discuss the menu for
their upcoming Thanksgiving meal while sorting through donated
stocking caps for his young daughter. “So far I’m feeding 17 friends and family for Thanksgiving,”
Dominicka says with pride.
A retired couple patiently waits for an appointment — they’ve arrived early to enjoy the warmth and
sense of community found within our Dear Neighbor office. Sifting through a basket of Christmas cards,
they agree on a collection of cards picturing a peaceful, snowy country-side.
Stopping in to use the phone to call his son, a gentleman shares cooking advice and his favorite way to
prepare yams. Hilltop community police officer, Officer Whyte, chats with neighbors after dropping off a
message at the front desk.
The bustling offices at Dear Neighbor Ministries play a vital role in the Hilltop community, providing
hospitality, guidance and a safe place for our neighbors to connect with one another. A snapshot of the
impact made in one day is astounding.
Continued on page two.
PAGE 1
FOOD PANTRY
WISH LIST
OFFERING HOPE
IN THE HILLTOP NEIGHBORHOOD
Dear Neighbor Ministries journeys with our clients towards lives of stability and selfsufficiency. But when our clients are living paycheck-to-paycheck and an unexpected
event happens, they arrive at our doorstep in need of assistance. Dear Neighbor
Ministries has a monthly budget for direct assistance to our clients of $4,100.
These funds, made possible with your help, are used to assist with rent and utility
subsidies, education/employment needs, transportation, and of course, the needs
from an unexpected event. By the 17th of each month, we usually have depleted our
budgeted funds, but the needs of our families continue. Dear Neighbor Ministries
restricts its rent and utility dollars, out of necessity, to clients that live in the Hilltop
Neighborhood. In this neighborhood alone there are 773 households. It is no wonder
that our funding does not currently meet their needs.
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Canned Vegetables
Pasta
Rice
Spaghetti Sauce
Macaroni and
Cheese
Canned Fruit
Peanut Butter and
Jelly
Breakfast Cereal
Canned Meat
BECOME A
VOLUNTEER
Share your time and talent
If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, please give us
a call. We are currently seeking VITA volunteers. Volunteer
Income Tax Assistance (VITA) is a service that assists many
individuals, including seniors, in our community every year.
The VITA program is sponsored by the IRS and organized
locally at United Way of the Plains. Dear Neighbor Ministries
has been a VITA site since 2003. You don’t have to be an
accountant to be a VITA tax preparer. If you enjoy assisting
individuals, have a patient personality, and can problem solve,
this may be the perfect volunteer opportunity for you. Sign up
today by calling 684-5120 to begin training in January.
Dear Neighbor Ministries and the Sisters of St. Joseph believe in a “hand up” not
a “hand out” approach. For each person that appears at our doorstep, we bring
friendship, assistance, and compassion to those in need. Encouraged by the words
of Pope Francis, would you please continue your partnership with us to help the
poor, abused and neglected in our midst?
THE GIFT
OF LIFE
Because of your support, God’s gift of life is just another day at Dear Neighbor Ministries:
a day where as many as 22 people will visit — with food pantry requests or simply to
say hello
outreach advocates provide emergency financial assistance in the amount
of $550
4 volunteer tax preparers are assisting people with prior year tax returns
Sister Ann Catherine and Jenny deliver 30 meals to 13 neighbors
from The Lord’s Diner food truck
3 gardeners work their plots
11 women and 10 children will eat dinner and attend a Getting
Ahead class.
A NOTE FROM
SISTER ANN CATHERINE
May God bless each of you as you go about your
ordinary lives showing forth Christ to others by
your faithfulness to God’s plan in your lives.
Throughout the year, you have chosen to join our
“dear neighbors” by your prayerful and financial
support. Thank you for your faith in me and Dear
Neighbor Ministries. Your support helps educate
our neighbors on how to budget their money,
so they can stretch their limited paychecks
as far as possible. And so, with hearts full of
gratitude this giving season, thank you!
volunteers pay bills for more than 20 clients in the payee program
22 volunteers work in a variety of roles
staff and volunteers collectively answer 115 telephone calls
up to this point, we have touched the lives of people 222 times in one
single day!
Every day you make a significant impact on the journey of our neighbors.
PAGE 2
Motivated by the God-given dignity of each person, we journey with
people towards stability and self-sufficiency.
PAGE 3