Ask an Expert
Jackie Gilby 620-386-4319
Poverty/Addiction/Education
Jackie Gilby was born in Wichita, KS. She was adopted and re-adopted before the age of two and moved several times until her adoptive parents settled in Georgia when she was five. After 12 years of being shuttled between child protective services, her abusive adoptive family, and foster homes, she left on her own and traveled to Wichita, hoping to reconnect with her biological family. From 17 to 27 Jackie lived on the streets in active addiction. During this time she learned how to connect with the vast array of people that she came into contact with, and what it took for them to survive and build resilience. Connection is her passion. Jackie currently works at the McPherson County Learning Center.
Andi Amann 620-200-8099
Addiction/Trauma
Andi Amann, I am the Peer Mentor support at McPherson CKF Addiction Treatment and Outpatient office, and McPherson Community Corrections. I have experienced first hand the struggles of addiction, homelessness, abuse, and poverty. I am a leading advocate for addiction and trauma recovery. Recognizing the need to bring easier access to our communities resources is such an important step in bringing us together to become a community where every voice of every class can be heard.
Jill Berckefeldt 620-241-4383
Aging and Senior Services
McPherson County Council on Aging offers a variety of services to those ages 60 and over. Case Management is an inclusive look at a person’s needs and resources, linking him or her to a full range of appropriate services, using all available funding sources and monitoring the care provided over an extended period of time. Call for more information.
Melanie Secor 620-718-8023
DCF
Melanie Secor is the Child Protection Supervisor at the McPherson DCF Service Center. She has worked at DCF since August of 2020 after relocating from another state. She has been in the child welfare field for 10 years and social services field for 17 years. She states, “I whole heartedly believe in the work we do and am grateful for the unit and office I work with daily as they are hardworking and dedicated”. She is grateful to continue to learn about different resources and services available through the community as well as DCF that would be helpful for families and individuals in the community. Please let her know how she can be of assistance.
Prairie View 800-362-0180
Mental Health
This number will connect you with a live person 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They will gather minimal information and be able to refer you to a clinician immediately. For non-crisis situations, call Prairie View during normal business hours.
Sheila Plooster 620-241-8331
Other/ Churches United in Ministry/ Salvation Army
Sheila was born and raised in Illinois but became a Kansas resident 40 some years ago. She is married, has two children and five grandchildren. She keeps very busy with Church, the grandchildren, her full-time job, along with a couple other side gigs. She has always enjoyed helping others and feels so blessed by the grace of God to have a job she absolutely loves. She has had her current job as Client Service Manager at Churches United in Ministry, since November 2014. She has a job she gets to meet and help people in McPherson County, and perhaps touch someone’s life and make a difference. She states she has “met so many people over the past several years that I would have never had the opportunity to meet and get to know if I wasn’t working at Churches United in Ministry”.
McPherson Housing Coalition 620-241-7828
Housing
McPherson Housing Coalition (MHC) helps low-income families who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. We are able to do this by receiving federal grants and generous donations from our donors. Families living in overcrowded conditions with family and friends, in a hotel, or have a court-ordered eviction, may qualify for our program. MHC helps families find a decent, affordable place to live and with the financial costs of moving into a new place, assisting with the deposit, first month’s rent, and set up of utilities.
