WILHELMINA GILL MULTI-SERVICE CENTER

Feeding the hungry 365 days a year, regardless of circumstance, in a welcoming and supportive environment.

Located at 645 Nebraska Avenue, Kansas City, Kansas 66101, the Wilhelmina “Willa” Gill Multi-Service Center was founded by Wilhelmina Gill in 1997. The facility is a welcoming and caring center offering program services to address the social and economic needs of those in Wyandotte County. All services provided are to help reduce homelessness, hunger, and crime in the community; while providing life stability.

Wilhelmina Gill Multi-Service Center Offers a Variety of Social Programs and Services:

* Client advocacy and intervention to address basic survival needs. Networking community-based resources with existing agencies to obtain confirmed client appointments.

* Service Learning Opportunities

* Serving the homeless population and or low-income individuals and families in Wyandotte County, Kansas.

* Case management services for up to 18 months for homeless persons desiring to make lifestyle changes.

* Everyday Services for those living in Wyandotte County, Kansas: telephone, document faxing, form completion assistance, and mail slot pick-up service*

* General information and referrals.

* Stop gap food pantry and personal hygiene kits.

* Community dining room is available to rent. For additional information, contact the facility below.

Wilhelmina Gill Multi-Service Center is Smoke and Alcohol-Free.

Phone: 913-621-4690
Fax: 913-621-4695
Hours of Operation: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM - Guest Entry 10:00 AM

Security Provided by A-1 Security Services

Executive Director: Pamela Smart - Director: Ondra Penn - Assistant Facility Manager: Selena Thornton - Homeless Case Manager: Jordyn Hudson - Lead Facility Attendant: Kevin Irvin - Part-Time Facility Attendant: Russel Hays

Mrs. Wilhelmina Gill Story

Tribute 1923 - 1999

Mrs. Wilhelmina Gill was known to her friends as Willa. She was once quoted as saying, “I’m just grateful for having had the opportunity of serving my fellow man and of having been open to the direction that I think that I have received from God. Looking back at nearly 25 years of service in the emergency assistance program of Catholic Charities, I think he guided me. I think he was my teacher, and I think that I was where I was supposed to be at all times.”

As great as her gratitude was, it is probably surpassed by the gratitude of the many, many people who benefited from her labors over the years as a volunteer, then director, and finally consultant before her retirement December 30th, 1994.

Beyond Willa’s kindness, she changed the social services delivery landscape. She decided clients needed to be responsible in how they handled their own funds, that is, their monies from other resources, and developed a budget counseling program. She helped clients realize they needed to assume some responsibility in spending their monies for what they truly needed, rather than the organization taking care of their needs and the client taking care of their wants. More than 30 years later, the Center is proud to continue this initiative today.

One of her greatest accomplishments was the establishment of the St. Mary’s food kitchen in downtown Kansas City, Kansas. An idea of a different kind of “small is better” food kitchen, an idea that was planted in her mind at a national Catholic Charities meeting. This one of a kind food kitchen began in February 1981, serving 7 people and grew into serving 300 - 600 people daily. In November 2002, a brand new facility was opened and named after it’s dedicated humble servant, Wilhelmina Gill Multi-Service Center to better accommodate the growing needs of the community.

Due to Wilhelmina’s commitment, the food kitchen became known as one of the best in the United States and featured in McCall’s magazine in 1982 and featured on ABC-TV’s “Nightline” in 1983.

The Kansas City, Kansas community will never forget this great lady, as her legacy lives on.