One of the things I love most about the Family Promise model is how the community rallies around families in various ways. As the Director of Development & Community Engagement, I get to see this play out in small ways every day. One of the most beautiful things about what I see consistently with the FP network in Greater Wichita is the many ways that each community member seeks to connect and support. It’s one of my favorite parts of my role. Recently, a clear and powerful demonstration of this happened in front of me and has brought me to the edge of tears almost every time I remember it.
In late October, we held our annual Fundraiser Gala. This event is our biggest fundraiser of the year and was attended by more than 350 members of the FPGW community in a beautiful show of support for this mission. The Presenting Sponsor for this year’s event was Lavender Winks – a local business owned by Lisa and Joe Winkles. Lisa and Joe have been longtime supporters of Family Promise of Greater Wichita, offering their time, talent, and treasure in various ways to empower families experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity. Having them as our first-ever Presenting Sponsor was a great fit and they were excited to support the mission in this way.
Exactly one week after the Gala, where I stopped and said hello to the Winkles and their guests at the Presenting Sponsor table, I encountered Joe and Lisa enjoying a meal at a different table and it is a vision that has resonated and will continue to stick with me.
As a group of volunteers, staff, and board members gathered that second Thursday evening at St. Mary Orthodox Christian Church for meetings, St. Mary was also functioning as the host site for guest families, with support from volunteers from across the FPGW network. That evening just happened to be the one when Joe and Lisa had volunteered.
I observed from my meeting on the other side of the gym as the Winkles came with dinner in hand, fed and ate with FPGW guests, and attended to babies and toddlers. As my meeting wrapped up, I swung over to say goodnight to guest families and found them laughing and playing Scrabble with Lisa and Joe (Don’t ask them about this game – turns out Lisa *might* have started a trend of looking up words before playing them and created some tense discussion about cheating at Scrabble! Ha!).
From one Thursday to the next…from one table to another…the same generous spirits and kind hearts blessed families in different, but equally important and impactful ways. When I discussed this volunteer experience with Joe and Lisa in a later conversation, they made it clear that, while they don’t always have the time to volunteer and be there in person, it’s worth the effort to stay connected to the mission in this way. It’s a priority to them to remember what – and who – is important in the Family Promise mission. Whether they are sponsoring an event, sharing a meal, or playing board games, the Winkles know that this mission is all about children and their families.
I’m often in awe of the way that the Family Promise model brings people to the table and how beautifully it paints a picture of a community standing together – not in a hierarchy, but as one big team – to ensure that every child has the home that they deserve. I’m grateful every day for the unique opportunity to see volunteers and donors like Lisa and Joe put on various hats and roles to further this mission. This is not something you see so vividly in other spaces. What a tremendous gift this is to families with children, and to all of our neighbors here in Greater Wichita.
Beth Schafers serves as the Director of Development and Community Engagement at Family Promise of Greater Wichita. She is passionate about the work of Family Promise, making the Wichita community better for all, and living with no agenda but love. You can reach her at beth@familypromisewichita.org.
