Shalom Catholic Worker House
2100 N. 13th St. (map)
Kansas City, KS 66104
913-321-2206
Members of in-house community:
Mary K. Meyer
Brad Grabs
Pedro Olvera
Ric Holzel
Our Home
The Shalom Catholic Worker House is a place for 25 homeless men to be safe while they regain their strength. Since August, 1982, we have opened the doors of 2100 N. 13th Street to all those who wish to live in peaceful community.
Shalom House operates in the tradition of the Catholic Worker movement (can we link to the Aims and Means of the CW here??), founded by Dorothy Day and Peter Maurin during the Depression. We provide a place to sleep, breakfast and dinner, clothes, showers, and referrals for medical and employment assistance.
We are funded solely through donations and sustained by the work of volunteers. Our mission is to fulfill the words of Jesus in Matthew 25: “What you do for the least of these brothers, you do for me.”
Our long-term live-in community consists of volunteers committed to simple living, corporal works of mercy, preaching the Gospel through action, respect for all faiths, and nonviolence.
In all that we do, we strive to practice the discipline of hospitality, whoever the guest. We believe that each person who walks through our door is our brother or sister in Christ, and we strive to act accordingly.
Your Time
Volunteers who offer dependable assistance are the lifeblood of Shalom House. The opportunities to help are numerous and apply to groups, families, and individuals. Here are some examples of volunteer options:
–Evening Meals: Groups, families or individuals can prepare a meal for 30 people either in their home or at the shelter. Most often, cooks also help serve the meal buffet style, then sit down and eat with us. Volunteering in this way can be done on a consistent basis (once a month) or groups can fill in open dates on our calendar.
–Specialty Volunteering: Individuals who would like to help with housework or other specialty jobs are welcomed. Professionals willing to offer free services (electrical, mechanical, plumbing, carpentry, legal) are always needed and greatly appreciated.
–Living in Solidarity with Us: We invite people to come and share our lives, joining our live-in community. This is perhaps the most challenging, and most rewarding, commitment that one can make to our work. Students and recent college graduates are especially encouraged to live and learn with us. Please call the house for more information on this commitment.
Your Donations
Donations come in many forms, but all are vital to our existence.
–Monetary donations: Most of the monetary donations are used to pay utility bills and for house repairs and maintenance.
–Men’s clothing: Work pants and jeans are especially helpful, but we have a variety of clothing needs. It is most helpful if you call before bringing clothes, to assess our particular needs at that time.
–Household items: We also rely on people to donate soap, cleaning supplies, toiletries, and other typical household items. For specific needs, please call the house.
Our Community
Community is an attempt to live together and love one another, even amid the failings natural to human beings. Shalom House is a community.
While many believe that the closest communities have members with many commonalities, our community is filled with diversity. Some come willingly to Shalom, and others are forced by circumstances to seek refuge here. Some come for a few hours, a few days, while others stay months or even years. Some of us seek shelter and companionship, some of us seek a way to help others, some come in an attempt to live the Beatitudes.
Community is not homogeny. It is the willingness to accept one another no matter how we arrived here. Community is learning to live with others as the Holy Spirit instructed the first Christians. “They will know you by the way you love one another.”
When families come to cook their first meal, they might never guess that their concept of “family” will grow to include all they have served and all who have served them. You too are invited to be part of our community.
