City of Wichita Approves Agreement for Nonprofit to Manage Multi-Agency Center 

Today, the City of Wichita approved a local nonprofit as the new management organization for the future Multi-Agency Center (MAC), located at 1025 N. Main. The non-profit formed as MAC Board, Inc. will serve as the coordinating organization to develop the future multi-agency center following the building’s renovation and construction by the City of Wichita.  

Community planning identified a multi-agency center as one of the key components to achieving the community’s stated goal of functional zero homelessness which is when homelessness is rare and brief and the number of people being housed is more than the number becoming homeless. 

The new public-private partnership and agreement between the MAC Board and the City is the next step in setting in motion the community-based plan to collaborate with local service providers to create a one-stop resource center for anyone experiencing homelessness or at-risk of being homeless to receive services designed to move people into housing. 

For more than five years, advocacy organizations, service providers, and leaders in the community have identified a need for a multi-agency center. With the goal of moving people into housing, a MAC brings together multiple providers to provide wrap-around services at the same location as additional year-round, low-barrier shelter beds. In September 2024, the work of creating a MAC took significant steps toward becoming a reality when the City of Wichita purchased the former Park Elementary School as the future MAC site.

Over the coming year, the nonprofit MAC Board will continue working toward developing a fully functioning resource center with a name to be established, including developing a service model and continued collaboration with providers to develop a fully functional service center. 

“We have been working thoughtfully and quickly to achieve the community’s vision to create a new collaborative space for organizations to be together in one place serving our neighbors experiencing homelessness,” said Steve Dixon, volunteer Chairman of the MAC Board, Inc. “We are pleased to work alongside the City of Wichita who identified funding for the MAC construction and start-up operational funds through ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) dollars. Homelessness is a community issue, and we know our community will come together to address it.”

“I am grateful to serve alongside dedicated community leaders on the MAC Board to help bring this long-awaited vision to fruition,” said Wichita Mayor Lily Wu. “This collaboration between the MAC Board, City and service providers is the next step forward in a holistic approach to addressing homelessness in Wichita. I am thankful for the many organizations and individuals who have come together to take the crucial steps forward in effectively addressing homelessness in our community.” 

This spring, the City of Wichita’s development team of Petra, HFG and McCown Gordon is scheduled to complete the MAC building design and then will begin the construction phase.  During that construction phase, the MAC Board’s immediate plans call to work with providers to continue 24-7 low-barrier shelter in a different part of the building, while engaging local providers on the multiple services that will be available once construction is completed. 

Since November, HumanKind Ministries, Inc., has been providing emergency winter shelter at the site of the future MAC, serving hundreds of people each day. 

“In recent history, HumanKind has provided the community’s emergency winter shelter from December through March, bringing together limited resources, other providers and a commitment to serving our neighbors most in need,” Dixon said. “There are so many providers who are doing incredible work, all with limited resources, and we look forward to further developing a community approach to what is truly a community need.” 

Background

Over the summer and fall of 2024, representatives of the City of Wichita, Sedgwick County, healthcare, social service, and homeless services convened to develop a baseline set of information and feedback to guide the initial phases of planning. Dozens of organizations were engaged to gain expert insight, identify concerns, and gather feedback. These early planning stages helped develop a proposed operating model for services, a proposed governing structure to carry out the work, and a proposed budget to execute the mission of a MAC.

The City of Wichita committed $6 million in ARPA funds to the development and construction of a multi-agency center and an additional $5 million toward establishing an operating model and providing ongoing services for the first two years to be combined with private dollars. 

The new nonprofit, formed as MAC Board, Inc., is led by a start-up board comprised of community members who have decades of experience in major community initiatives and expertise across healthcare, economic development, social services, and philanthropy. The five-member board brings knowledge of the issues as many are board members of multiple organizations involved in providing services and community support. The volunteer board launched with members: Steve Dixon, Hoidale, Gary Schmitt, INTRUST Bank, Moji Rosson, Meritrust, Robyn Chadwick, Retired Ascension Via Christi St. Joseph and Jason Gregory, InSite Real Estate. The MAC Board more recently added Mayor Lily Wu, City of Wichita and Kent Miracle, The Print Source, a person with lived experience.

The Public Policy Management Center (PPMC) is providing staff support to the MAC Board during the startup phase.

Media Contact

For more information or questions about the MAC Board, please contactJames Roberts, Public Policy and Management Center, Wichita State University, james.roberts@wichita.edu.