The Center of Wichita, Inc.

The Center of Wichita stands as the premier community center and civic gathering place dedicated to uplifting, educating, and connecting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and allied residents throughout the Wichita metropolitan area and South-Central Kansas. Established in 2010 by a dedicated coalition of local community organizers, the nonprofit emerged to address the critical absence of a permanent, community-owned physical facility where queer Kansans could assemble, find belonging, and coordinate grassroots initiatives. Operating continuously from its downtown facility on North Market Street at the intersection of Market and Murdock, the center has spent more than a decade fostering an affirming environment that welcomes participants of every background and generation.

Cultural preservation and community education form the cornerstone of the organization's on-site operations. The center curates the Sally M. Morse LGBTQ+ Library, a landmark regional repository featuring hundreds of fiction and non-fiction titles, historical treatises, autobiographies, and health guides. Established through generous community book donations and named in memory of a pioneering local advocate, the collection preserves rare archives of regional queer newsletters, historical event programs, and educational pamphlets. The library serves as an invaluable educational resource for students, researchers, and community members seeking to understand queer history and explore diverse personal narratives. In addition to physical books, the center provides free public internet access, computer workstations, and comprehensive informational directories highlighting affirming medical providers, mental health clinics, and inclusive places of worship across the state.

Beyond individual resources, The Center functions as a vital collaborative incubator for the broader regional equality movement. The facility provides complimentary and accessible meeting space for independent civic organizations, including Wichita Pride Inc., the Wichita LGBT Health Coalition, and local social justice alliances. By offering a stable, neutral venue for coalition meetings, planning retreats, and educational seminars, the center enables regional volunteer leaders to pool resources, synchronize community calendars, and respond collectively to public policy challenges facing LGBTQ+ Kansans. These collaborative gatherings ensure that local activists, healthcare liaisons, and social service providers can coordinate vital programming, share best practices, and deliver unified community advocacy.

Youth empowerment and family connectivity represent central programmatic priorities for the center's board and volunteer staff. Through the Get Connected youth initiative, the center provides a structured, chaperone-supervised drop-in space for adolescents ages 13 to 18. Teens gather for board games, creative art projects, video gaming, and shared dinners in an accepting atmosphere free from bullying and discrimination. Concurrently, the center facilitates Q-Family Connection, which brings together queer parents, caregivers of transgender children, and prospective adoptive families for monthly fellowship, resource exchanges, and family-friendly seasonal celebrations. Dedicated parent volunteers provide compassionate navigation for families supporting newly out youth. Community members can explore the center calendar, access the library collection, or support ongoing community operations by visiting the North Market Street facility or contributing through the center's online donation channels.