Denise and Richard Dodd currently live next to a river in Wichita. We asked the Dodds how they came to live beside the river. This is their story.
homeless
Posted inHousing
At least 49 unhoused Wichitans died in 2022
The amount of homeless deaths reported in 2022 in Wichita was more than double than it was in previous years. Since 2006, Advocates to End Chronic Homelessness (AECH) has organized a memorial service to ensure that people who die while unhoused are not forgotten.
Posted inCivic Engagement, Housing
Homeless or fearful of losing your home? Help is available
The United Way’s 211 assistance referral website lists 73 organizations in Sedgwick County providing help for people seeking shelter and housing. These organizations, which rely on a combination of tax dollars, private donations and volunteers, provide a variety of help to all populations.
Posted inCivic Engagement, Watchdog
Wichita nonprofit strives to vaccinate at least 400 unsheltered people by June
Social distancing is not a homeless shelter’s strong suit. But several mobile clinics are popping up in shelters in Wichita to vaccinate as many unsheltered people as possible against COVID — especially as winter temperatures force scores of people inside. The city of Wichita approved a $50,000 grant for United Way of the Plains to […]
Posted inWichitans You Should Know
How Wichita homeless advocate April Holt builds trust
As Wichita nears the end of winter, many people are past thinking about cold air and bitter wind. For April Holt, it’s all she thinks about — stressing about those without homes to take cover in. Holt has amassed an online following in Wichita with her social media posts about the people she meets on […]
Posted inCivic Engagement, Watchdog
‘Stay safe and alive’: How Wichitans are helping their unhoused neighbors this winter
Last February, a historic cold snap shocked Wichita, plunging temperatures below zero and forcing people inside — including those without homes. As winter again tugs temperatures down and whips wind gusts up, advocates and nonprofits serving the unsheltered are working to protect them. In the shadow of St. John’s Episcopal Church on Topeka Street in […]
Posted inWatchdog
After hundreds of 911 calls, police and advocates for people without shelter struggle to address a downtown crisis
The corner of Second and Topeka streets in downtown Wichita recently received an onslaught of attention regarding its unsheltered residents. On Oct. 5, the city’s Public Works & Utilities department painted white lines around United Methodist Open Door, a social services organization, and nearby buildings to disperse encampments and respond to an increase in violence […]
Posted inWatchdog
15 years after Wichita unveiled a plan to end homelessness, progress stagnates
Donnie has a roof over his head. He’s still homeless. His left hand was nearly severed during an accident. Now, when Donnie lifts his hand and rotates his wrist, one can follow the length of a thick, white scar. “I’m limited in working,” said Donnie, who requested to be identified by his first name only. […]