When a neighbor hits a “bump in the road,” Bishop Sullivan Center (BSC) is here to provide the help they need to get life back on track.
Neighbors like Marie: a young single mom who lost her job last fall. Marie’s 5-year-old daughter has autism, and finding employment that would work with her daughter’s therapy schedule proved challenging. After two months, she started her new career — but her landlord had already filed for eviction. Aware of the complexity of her situation, Marie’s daughter’s school referred her to BSC’s Household Assistance program.
As the Need Rises, Resources Have Shrunk
While Marie’s situation is unique, requests like hers for help with rent and utilities have become increasingly common.
At the end of 2025, BSC was providing one of the only Household Assistance programs in Kansas City with consistent funding.
The need has grown substantially, with online applications often reaching their weekly limit of 100 by midday Monday.
In response, BSC allocated an additional $100,000 to this emergency assistance, which proved vital in keeping many in our community safely housed during moments of crisis.
Seeing the Full Picture
For more than half a century, BSC shaped programs in direct response to stories like Marie’s. Stories like these illustrate challenges that bleed far beyond the emergencies that bring people through our front doors.
2025 was a year focused on painting a full picture. From local partnerships to a deeper focus on how BSC programs can blend together to provide long-term, person-centered solutions, we’re doing all we can to help neighbors leave rocky roads behind.
In 2025 alone, we assisted 451 households referred to us by frontline community partners, including Children’s Mercy, Saint Luke’s, and Kansas City Public Schools. BSC’s Special Populations case manager handles these emergency assistance referrals, navigating creative solutions like hotel stays, clothing, and permanent housing.
Our growing connections with organizations like these help fill the cracks so many in our community can fall through, helping Kansas City work together to find truly dignified solutions to the complex struggles our neighbors face.
“Our working partnerships with school and hospital case managers have been incredibly valuable,” shared BSC Programs Director Shilo Foster.
“As they get to know our services and strengths, they can better support clients and make more informed referrals. This helps ensure clients come to us ready to use our services as a hand up, supported by a coordinated care team.”
Alongside these partnerships, BSC has fine-tuned its programs over the years to better wrap its arms around those it serves.
In 2025, 65 families were stabilized through BSC’s Long Term Housing program, which provides up to three months’ rental assistance, as well as support with eviction clearance, debt payoff, and past-due utilities, all of which can prevent participants from qualifying for permanent housing. Today, 74% of these families remain housed — an incredible win considering the struggles they have overcome.
See the full impact of your support in 2025 in our annual report!
A Very Happy Birthday
Today, 23-year-old Marie is stably housed and gainfully employed. A court extension gave her time to respond, and with a little help from our Household Assistance program and our friends at Avenue of Life, her past-due balance was covered, and her eviction was cleared just in time for her daughter’s fifth birthday.
From our food pantries and clothing closets to our employment program and Christmas drive, Marie now knows that Bishop Sullivan Center’s programs and community partners are here if difficulties arise.
“That moment was made possible through collaboration, because no single organization could have met all of their needs alone,” shared Foster. “Together, our partners are helping us turn uncertainty into stability and hope.”
Thank you for supporting our programs. You are helping our community paint a picture of smoother roads ahead.
Support our Household Assistance program with a donation today!