Family Promise of Greater Wichita is excited to welcome Ria Dillard to the FPGW Staff Team! Ms. Dillard joins the team as the new Family Advocate for the Stabilization Services program. She will build this new role as FPGW seeks to expand ongoing relationships and support for families who have completed case management under Shelter and Emergency Services.
Ria was born and raised in Wichita. She holds a Bachelor’s degree from Wichita State University and will graduate with her Masters of Social Work from WSU next May. She is excited to step into this role and walk alongside FPGW families to ensure long term success.
Ria firmly believes that her own life experience has led her to this position and lends itself to building solid relationships with families in the Stabilization Services program. She knows what it means to be in need of support from others in the community. Through times of loneliness, struggle, abuse, and despair, Ria has lived a life of overcoming and finding hope in the darkness. Her optimism and tenacity promise to be a breath of fresh air to a growing program of support for families who have also overcome and grasped for hope in the darkest of times.
FPGW’s focus on long term stability and success for families is what drew Ria to this organization. With her own focus on breaking cycles and building a brighter future for kids in our community, this work seemed like the perfect fit.
After learning about this position from one of her professors at WSU, Ria said “Family Promise is going to make change and I want to be a part of that.” So far, after just a few weeks on the job, she loves everyone’s sincerity and how genuine they are about their parts at Family Promise. She has been pleasantly surprised by the FPGW team’s drive to acknowledge culture and diversity and recognize hard conversations. Her least favorite part of the job so far was that the Day House was without A/C during her first week on the job! She is most looking forward to seeing the people she works with prosper.
Executive Director Dawn Epp said, “We are thrilled to have Ria join the team. Her passion, education, life experiences, and drive are going to be invaluable in this new role.”
Ria is the proud mom of two boys (ages 5 and 6) and loves telling stories about her sweet and energetic kids. Family is extremely important to her and she loves being back in her childhood community near hers. Her first job was at Carousel Skate Center and roller skating is still a regular way that she practices self care! She is the proud winner of some cooking competitions and loves to cook and even make her own ranch dressing.
Welcome to the Family Promise mission, Ria! We are so glad you’re here!
