What the Center of Hope Does for Wichita Area Residents — and How to Get Help
The Center of Hope is a Wichita-based nonprofit that has spent decades working on a specific problem: keeping families in their homes and their utilities on when a financial crisis makes that impossible to manage alone. It is not a large agency with dozens of programs — it runs a focused set of services and runs them well. This page explains what those services are, who qualifies, and what to expect when you reach out, so you can decide whether the Center of Hope is the right call for your situation before you pick up the phone.
The office is at 1100 E. 1st Street, Wichita, KS. The main phone number for emergency assistance intake is (316) 267-0222 (website is https://www.centerofhopeinc.org/) . Calls are taken Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to noon. For case management services, the number is (316) 267-3999. Staff are bilingual in English and Spanish.
Emergency rent and utility assistance
This is the program most people contact the Center of Hope for, and it is the core of what the organization does. For families facing an eviction notice or a utility shutoff, the Center of Hope may provide one-time financial assistance to cover the outstanding balance and keep the household stable. The program serves approximately 4,000 households per year — a significant volume for a single nonprofit — and is most years is distributing more than $1.5 million in assistance annually.
Coverage extends beyond Wichita and Sedgwick County. Residents of Butler, Cowley, Harper, Harvey, Kingman, Reno, and Sumner counties are also eligible, making this one of the more geographically broad emergency assistance programs in the region. Assistance is targeted at households that are genuinely in crisis — meaning you should have an eviction notice or shutoff notice in hand when you call, not simply a bill that's behind. If the Center can’t help with rental needs, there are other organizations that may - see the Sedgwick County rent assistance option page.
When you call, have the following documents ready because the intake is conducted by phone and moves quickly when you're prepared: proof of income for all household members, your lease or rental agreement, current utility bills, rent payment receipts, and documentation of the cause of your hardship — a termination notice, medical bills, car repair invoice, or similar. If you receive cash assistance or food assistance through DCF, bring that documentation as well. The volume of calls is high, particularly at the start of the week and during winter months, so call early and keep trying if you don't get through on the first attempt.
Project DESERVE — Evergy utility customers
Project DESERVE is a separate, utility-specific program funded in partnership with Evergy, the primary electric utility serving the Wichita area. It is specifically for Evergy customers who have active service established in their name and need help paying their electric bill. Applications are accepted daily and assistance is distributed at the end of each week, which means turnaround can be faster than the general emergency assistance program for electricity-specific situations.
Applications can be filled out online through centerofhopeinc.org or downloaded in English or Spanish. Coverage for Project DESERVE extends to Sedgwick, Butler, Cowley, Harvey, and Sumner counties.
Case management — up to two years of support
One thing that distinguishes the Center of Hope from organizations that simply cut a check and close the file is the case management program. For Sedgwick County residents, the Center offers ongoing case management for up to two years — provided the client is actively making progress toward self-sufficiency. The program is person-centered and focuses on employment, education, and financial literacy as the three main pillars of long-term stability.
In practice this means working with a case manager who helps identify and remove barriers to employment, connects clients to job training and community resources, provides life skills coaching, and offers financial management support. It is not a passive program — participants are expected to be working toward specific goals throughout their time in the program. For households that have managed the immediate crisis through emergency assistance but need structured support to avoid the same situation recurring, this is the program to ask about. Reach the case management team at (316) 267-3999.
Prairie Land Food — affordable group food buying
The Center of Hope distributes food through the Prairie Land Food program, a group-buying model that provides packages of affordable, healthy food to anyone in the community — not just those meeting income thresholds. Packages can be purchased using SNAP EBT benefits as well as cash. Orders are placed during the first part of each month and picked up toward the end of the month at the Center of Hope office. For households that are struggling to buy groceries, this is a supplement worth knowing about independently of any emergency assistance application. TIP: The Prairie Land Food program can also be combined with charitable options - see the list of Sedgwick County food pantries.
Bike program
The Center of Hope provides used bicycles to individuals who lack transportation and need a reliable way to get to work or job interviews. Transportation is one of the most common practical barriers to employment for people in financial crisis, and this program addresses it in a direct, low-bureaucracy way. Ask about availability when you contact the center.
A note on what to expect
Demand for the Center of Hope's services is consistently high. The intake phone line generally operates Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to noon only — not all day — and call volume is heavy. Arriving early and being persistent is not just a suggestion; it is the practical reality of accessing a high-demand program. The Center is funded through private donations, grants including support from the United Way of the Plains, and program partnerships — not government formula funding — which means capacity can fluctuate.
The website of https://www.centerofhopeinc.org/ has more information, including where applications for Project DESERVE can also be submitted directly. The Center of Hope serves people of all faiths, ethnicities, and backgrounds. It was founded as a Catholic-affiliated organization and remains guided by those values, but assistance is never contingent on religious affiliation.
If you are unable to reach them, dialing 211 will connect you to a live operator who can identify other Wichita-area emergency assistance resources while you continue trying.
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