Threshold - Winter 2005

The Keeler Women’s Center - Empowering Women in Kansas City’s Urban Core

by Rebecca Summers, a member of the Advisory Committee of the Keeler Women’s Center. She is a wife and mother, and serves as Director of Information and Media Relations for the Diocese of Kansas City – St. Joseph.

After high school graduation, Barbara Martin zig-zagged the country. From her home in Durango, to Laramie, then Denver, and on to West Plains, Barb’s journey finally brought her to Kansas City.

“Over time, I earned 50 college credit hours,” said Barbara. “Going to school was an upbeat experience and helped me see a purpose in life.” Along the way, Barb supported herself in factories, housekeeping jobs, and driving a school bus but never finished the degree.

By 2004, Barb’s health forced her out of her job as a bus driver and to the Duchesne Clinic for treatment. “At times, I just started to feel beat down,” she said. When a staff member referred her to the Keeler Women’s Center, Barb embraced the opportunity. “I was determined to find out if there was something there to benefit me,” said Barb.

Established in 2003, the Keeler Women’s Center is a ministry of Mount St. Scholastica and continues the sisters’ long tradition of educating women. Through a strategic planning effort, the Benedictines conceived a program to address the needs of women, particularly the young, the poor and those most in need. Vision 2010 led the sisters to design a ministry to support women like Barb.

Located at Donnelly College, the Center empowers women in the urban core of Kansas City through education, advocacy, personal and spiritual development. The two sisters who serve as staff members, Sisters Carol Ann Petersen and Barbara McCracken, motivate clients to use local resources and to address issues that hold them back. Through a network of volunteers and partner agencies, women can access emergency assistance, counseling and support groups, personal development seminars, and opportunities for spiritual growth.

The director, Sister Carol Ann, confirmed that, “We assist approximately 175 women, 20 men and 15 children each month. Our clients lead us where we need to be.”

Graced by an average of 35 volunteers each month and an array of in-kind services, the center nurtures women. “Many of our clients are living with daily stress and depression,” said Sister Carol Ann. “We offer them support for the mind, body and spirit. If a woman needs counseling, tutoring in basic literacy, help with conversational English, or permission to take care of herself, we develop an action plan.”

Employment assistance is the most sought-after service after personal counseling. Barb enrolled in a five-week “Job-Seeking Skills for Women,” and focused her efforts on assessing skills, writing a resume, preparing for an interview, and researching job openings. Her efforts were rewarded when she landed a job as a parking lot attendant. The position offers stable employment, benefits, and advancement potential.

Women registered for the job-seeking skills series receive a massage, a haircut and styling, manicure or pedicure, a shopping trip for work-appropriate clothing, and consultations on skin care and dressing for success. “Many of our women have not had the time or resources to make taking care of themselves and their bodies a priority,” said Sister Carol Ann. “Our volunteers help us address all of the women’s needs.”

“I like widening my ideas,” said Barbara Martin. “The programs at Keeler Women’s Center helped me see that I had the power to change my life. With the help of the wide range of programs at the Center, I began journaling, participating in group sharing, supporting other women, and affirming myself. I was comforted, accepted, treated professionally, and found good role models in Sister Carol Ann and Sister Barbara."

Sister Carol Ann reports that Barbara has recently joined the Keeler Center Advisory Committee where she has been most helpful in articulating the needs of women who might be helped by the center in the future.

Although the center receives grants and personal donations, the Ministry Fund of the Benedictine sisters continues to be the primary source of funding. “We are blessed with many partnerships,” said Sister Carol Ann. “The local non-profit agencies provide services for our women as well as refer women to us. Donnelly College is giving us beautiful space to serve our women, and hundreds more have helped us throughout this journey,” she said.

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Keeler Women’s Center partners with many organizations to provide programs and services. Above, Sister Carol Ann confers with Belita Baskin, homeless case manager for the Willa Gill Center, about services.

Whenever possible, the center provides childcare for women who are attending programs or receiving services, as Sister Barbara does in picture at left.



Cori Stites, KU intern, displays Keeler Women’s Center information at the resource fair of the Emergency Assistance Coalition which the Keeler Center hosted in October.


“Ask-a-Nurse” volunteer, Julia Kovac, R.N., answers questions of Donnelly students. Julia does blood pressure checks, answers questions and distributes information about women’s and men’s health issues.



Volunteer Lyllis Ling preparing to lead the daily prayer open to people of all faiths. The needs of the women who come to the center are always remembered at prayer.

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