About Us

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Marriage for Keeps allows Catholic Charities to support services such as healthy marriage education by providing an array of services to include one-on-one couple support, marriage education and activities to strengthen family bonds. Marriage for Keeps has been designed to provide a variety of resources and skills training to married couples with children under age 15 in an effort to help them sustain healthy marriages, raise happier children and create more stable families.

History

Catholic Charities Marriage for Keeps Program started out as a federally funded project as part of the Supporting Healthy Marriage landmark national study.  Kansas was one of eight sites nationally chosen to participate.  Nearly 800 couples in Kansas took part in the project.  The study evaluated the effects on couple relationships, ultimately improving the lives of children.

Catholic Charities or Catholic Social Services in Dodge City, Garden City, Manhattan and Salina are also participating as demonstration locations providing services to help strengthen families although they were not part of the national study.

Opportunities to Participate

Due to the  success of this groundbreaking program in creating healthy marriages and improving family dynamics, Catholic Charities Marriage for Keeps has a strong desire to reach more couples in our community.  If you would like more information please e-mail Rikki Lewis at or contact her at 316-264-8344, ext. 321.

Click here for more information on Marriage for Keeps.

 

 

 

Relational Wellness is an exciting pilot program being introduced by the Wichita Catholic Charities Marriage for Keeps project to a select group of businesses as

 a benefit to their employees.  Participants are provided with an opportunity to:

• Spend quality time together
• Learn great way to strengthen their marriage and have fun
• Meet other couples in a confidential and safe environment for discussion

Research has proven over and over again that there are several benefits to a healthy marriage including:

• Married people are happier than single, widowed, or cohabiting people. About 40% of married people report being very happy with their lives, whereas only 18% of divorced people, 15% of separated people, and only 22% of widowed and 22% of cohabiting people report being very happy (Waite & Gallagher, 2000).
• Married people are more successful in their careers, earn more, and have more wealth than single, divorced or cohabiting individuals (Waite & Gallagher, 2000; Antonovics & Town, 2004).

The previous information was provided by the Marriage CoMission website (www.marriagecomission.com/go/justthefacts).

Click here for more information on the Relational Wellness pilot program.