Wichita Habitat for Humanity celebrates ground blessing for Pope Leo Village

WICHITA, KS (Sept. 10, 2026)— On September 10, Wichita Habitat for Humanity gathered with community partners, future homeowners, and representatives from the Catholic Diocese of Wichita to officially bless the ground for Pope Leo Village at 26^th and Ash.

The newly blessed site is part of a larger national vision. Pope Leo Village is a 22-city initiative engaging youth, students, and young adults as well as many others, as part of Faith in Action movement in building high-quality affordable housing for deserving families within the Habitat for Humanity framework. Pope Leo Village is slated for completion in 2027 with the eight homes being purchased by families in Wichita Habitat’s Homeownership program.

Danielle Johnson, executive director of Wichita Habitat for Humanity, spoke to the crowd about the profound impact of this collaboration. “By stepping forward to hammer, paint, and serve alongside our future homebuyers, you are putting faith into action,” Johnson said. “You are transforming formerly boarded up properties into beacons of hope, guided by principles of justice and compassion.”

The families purchasing these homes have worked incredibly hard to reach this milestone, completing hundreds of sweat equity hours and homebuyer education classes. Mallory, a future Pope Leo Village homeowner, expressed her deep gratitude for the volunteers bringing this neighborhood to life. “When you all step forward to swing a hammer or paint a wall alongside us, you are showing us what ‘faith in action’ truly looks like,” Mallory said. “You are not just building houses. You are showing my son and me the power of a community coming together with a shared purpose to serve others.”

To learn more about the project, sign up to volunteer, or make a donation, please visit: wichitahabitat.org/PopeLeoVillage.