The Path Out of Homelessness Starts Here

Welcome Central is our founding program — and the case management backbone of everything we do at the Community of Hope. If you're trying to get housed, get your documents back, or figure out what benefits you qualify for, this is where you start.

What Welcome Central Does

Welcome Central connects Leavenworth County residents to the systems, documents, and support they need to move toward stable housing. Our case managers sit down with you, figure out where things stand, and work through next steps together.

That means help with:

• Obtaining birth certificates, state IDs, and Social Security cards
• Applying for housing, employment, and public benefits
• Coordinating appointments and navigating agency systems
• Covering documentation costs — including ID fees — where we're able
• Ongoing check-ins with a dedicated case manager
• Homeless prevention for residents at risk before a crisis hits

Every case management relationship across the organization runs through Welcome Central. It is the front door.

We don't provide direct rent or utility assistance — but we know who does, and we'll connect you to the right resources.

Who Can Use Welcome Central

You don't have to be staying in our shelter to access case management. Welcome Central is open to any Leavenworth County resident who is experiencing homelessness, at risk of losing housing, or simply trying to navigate a system that feels impossible to figure out alone.

If you have a connection to Leavenworth County — a prior address, pay stubs, school records, or county ID — you're eligible. We'll work through the rest together.

2025 by the Numbers

In 2025, Welcome Central case managers helped:

• 80 individuals obtain housing — 31 permanent, 49 temporary
• 24 individuals obtain a state ID
• 40 individuals obtain a birth certificate

These aren't aggregate figures from a database. They represent people who sat across from a case manager, worked through real obstacles, and came out the other side with a place to go.

Why Documents Matter More Than People Realize

It's hard to apply for housing without a state ID. It's hard to get a state ID without a birth certificate. It's hard to get a birth certificate without money and a mailing address. For many people experiencing homelessness, the documentation barrier is the barrier — and it compounds fast.

Welcome Central case managers know how to break that cycle. We know which agencies to call, which programs cover fees, and how to get the process moving when it feels like it's designed not to.

According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, lack of identification is one of the most common barriers to accessing housing and services for people experiencing homelessness.

How to Access Welcome Central

If you're currently staying in our night shelter, case management is available to you as part of your stay.

Our Day Center also hosts on-site specialists from The Guidance Center and Heartland RADAC — so if your situation involves mental health, employment, or recovery, those connections are available in the same building.

Ready to Get Started?

Have questions about case management or what to expect when you come in? The answers below cover what we hear most often. If yours isn't here, call us at (913) 702-8108 or stop by the Day Center any day from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Frequently Asked Questions