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Catholic Charities of Kansas City-St. Joseph honored the sacrifice and dedication of veterans at a luncheon ceremony Monday morning.

Catholic Charities of Kansas City-St. Joseph expands its veterans program

CEO Karen Noel took a moment to pause and reflect on the success of the agency’s veterans program.

“We’re expanding our footprint, we’re expanding the number we serve,” said Noel. “They have tasked us to serve 430 families, which I envision will be well over 500 by the end of the year.”

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The federal Supportive Services for Veteran Families program focuses on rapid re-housing and homeless prevention.

This year, Catholic Charities of Kansas City-St. Joseph is taking on three more counties, expanding into Kansas. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs awarded them $4.4 million to double their outreach.

“The increase for our grant has just been tied to our ability to assist our veterans and be able to get them housed,” said Supportive Services Coordinator, Ti Vaughn.

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The SSVF program has been a lifeline for veterans like Cheryl Frederick.

“I was almost this close from like being homeless,” said Frederick. “I went through the food pantry, so I’m not hungry anymore. I’m not homeless anymore. They are helping me with my rent, they are helping me with my finances — budgeting. So I’m just wholeheartedly like, so humble and grateful and thankful.”

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Veterans are offered other wrap-around services like employment assistance and one-on-one counseling. Last year alone, Catholic Charities of Kansas City-St. Joseph provided over $210,000 in rent and utility assistance.

“What do you need, what do you want, we’re getting it done. I need the address, phone number. I mean, she was on it like a military person,” said veteran Aaron Bean of a SSVF staff member. “I was about ready to lose my apartment. I had no heat.”

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Catholic Charities of Kansas City-St. Joseph’s SSVF program paid for Bean’s energy, water and rent.

“Just those three were huge,” said Bean.

In order to meet the demand, Catholic Charities of Kansas City-St. Joseph is hiring 12 additional case workers. Half of those positions are already filled.

Any veteran hoping to serve other veterans are encouraged to apply.

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“I think it’s awesome and amazing. The more they can help, the better off these veterans so we won’t lose them after serving our country,” said Frederick. “I feel so whole now because they have really blessed me.”

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A “beloved” college student was struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver while jogging in Kansas and her body wasn’t discovered for nearly 10 hours, according to authorities.

Elsa McGrain, 20, was jogging near the Lawrence Regional Airport around 6 p.m. Thursday when she was hit by a truck, according to the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.

McGrain’s body was not found until 3:35 a.m. on Friday, after a passerby discovered her and called the police, cops said.

After processing the scene, authorities determined she had died while running in the area, police added.

The hit-and-run driver was behind the wheel of an all-white pickup truck when the fatal crash occurred, according to photos released by the department.

McGrain, originally from Omaha, Nebraska, was a pre-med student at the University of Kansas slated to graduate in 2026, police said.

“Our hearts go out to Elsa’s family and friends in this incredibly tragic situation,” cops wrote in a statement.

She was also a member of the Chi Omega sorority, where she served on the executive board as house manager, according to a heartbreaking tribute posted by her sorority sisters on Instagram.

“It is with heavy hearts that we share the passing of our beloved sister, Elsa McGrain,” the sorority wrote in a statement.

“Elsa was the kind of person everyone wanted to be: genuine, kind, and full of light. She noticed the quiet one in the room, checked in on you whether things were good or bad, and was the loyal friend we all strive to be,” the statement said.

“She had a gift for making everyone around her feel valued and loved.”

Authorities are still investigating the crash and have urged anyone who recognizes the vehicle of interest or was in the area of E. 1500 Road between 5:45 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Thursday to call detectives.

“Our deputies and detectives continue to work diligently to investigate this thoroughly, find the driver involved, and work appropriately through the justice system from there,” police wrote.