Evelyn Middelstadt

is honored with a Large Paver from Jerry and Marianne Johnston, Richard Boczek c/o Herzog Environmental, Inc., Philip and Carol Kinast, John Garfield, Robert Brown c/o Brown, Dengler, Good and Rider, LC, William and Billie Petersen, Thomas and Denise Glenn, Linda Hall c/o Physicians and Surgeons Exchange, Inc., Robert and Nancy Albin, Betty Poppe Living Trust, Warren and Carolyn Kime, Burt and Katherine Unruh, Robert and Maria Petersen, Norman and Joyce Latta, Frank and Virginia Sandifer, Manfred and Linda Leach, Wayne and Mavis Schultz, Joan Sherwood, Edward Raymond, Richard and Rita Mau, Nell Schubert, P.A. Callaway, Kenneth and Carol Flower, Ronald and Barbara Middelstadt, Jennifer Houston-Westhoff, Rev. Erhart Bauer, June Siebert, Jeanne Dicke, Greg and Jan Meissen, Gerry and Treva Lichti

Founded in 1984, Self-Help Network was started by Evelyn Middelstadt, a Wichita social worker who recognized the special support and understanding that occurred in self-help groups when she brought together parents of special needs children.

Driven to create a community organization people could call to get information about support groups of all kinds, she used her personal savings to visit and learn from other self-help group clearinghouses in the country and start a Wichita area clearinghouse.

In 1986, the Network had grown considerably and, due to her personal responsibilities in caring for her elderly mother, she decided to seek an alternative home for Self-Help Network. The Network was transferred to the Department of Psychology at WSU under the direction of Dr. Greg Meissen, a professor of psychology, who had been working with Evelyn since the beginning.

With Evelyn’s continued guidance as a Board member, the Network flourished at WSU through the enthusiasm and dedication of lots of volunteers, as well as students and staff.

The Self-Help Network became a statewide organization in 1989 with the support of the Kansas Health Foundation. From the many things we learned from self-help groups, as well as our strengths in conducting research and running an effective organization, the Network soon began to receive requests for assistance from nonprofit organizations and community-based efforts to provide assistance and support in creating and implementing a shared vision for the future and conducting user-friendly outcome and impact evaluations.

In the late 90’s, with the guidance of our Community Advisory Council (of which Evelyn was a part), the Self-Help Network expanded its vision and mission to become Wichita State University’s Center for Community Support and Research.