By Sister Mary Catherine Clark, ASC
Pamela, a client of the Wichita Women’s Initiative Network or WIN, recently expressed her gratitude for the help she had been given.
She wrote: “I have been blessed to have this opportunity to be in this wonderful program. I have learned to set boundaries, to believe in myself, to ask for help. WIN has taught me to be so much stronger and to keep focus on my goals.”
Such expressions of gratitude are common among the 32 women who benefitted last year from the variety of services WIN offers to those who are coming out of trauma and domestic abuse. The Adorers of the Blood of Christ founded the WIN ministry in 1997 and remain sponsors of its important work.
Wichita has thousands of non-profits that meet the needs of the most vulnerable. Recent analysis revealed that there were both duplications and gaps in services to the segment of vulnerable women needing job skills and stable employment.
In the past year, WIN and Dress for Success-Wichita considered a closer relationship as one way to create a seamless approach for these women.
It became apparent that the goals of the two agencies were very compatible. So, earlier this year, the boards of the two organizations formalized the affiliation. The services of Dress for Success-Wichita are now within WIN’s array of programs.
For almost 25 years, we Adorers have collaborated with many generous women and men who share their time, talent and treasure as staff, volunteers, board members, donors and advocates. Three Adorers serve on the board of directors alongside 15 other dedicated men and women. Our staff are amazing, creative, and compassionate.
Statistics show that the consequences of the pandemic impact vulnerable women disproportionally. Because of its affiliation with DFS-W, WIN is positioned to be a vital contributor in many ways so the countless other “Pamelas” of the greater Wichita area might have a brighter future.