It all started with one woman at a Synod meeting


	Alice Kalb

At a council meeting of the Synod of Kansas (Presbyterian Church USA) in June of 1947, the chairman asked if anyone had anything to say for the good of the order. One member replied, “There is a Mrs. Alice Kalb of El Dorado who wants us to build a home for the aged and take her in.”

Although several people had approached the Synod for just this type of project, that the request came from a 90-year-old widow made an impact on those gathered. Mrs. Kalb symbolized the plight of a growing number of older persons who needed the church’s help.

Through many meetings and discussions, the Synod council approved the purchase of property in Newton, Kan., and the formation of the Presbyterian Foundation of Kansas, now known as Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America (PMMA). Mrs. Kalb’s initiative led to a farmer from Wakarusa, Kan., to make a bequest of his farm to the Foundation to build the first building of Presbyterian Manor of Newton. That was in 1949 and the first building was home for seven area seniors who wanted a comfortable place to live, but could no longer take care of the upkeep of their homes by themselves.

While Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America, Inc. is an independent 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, no longer operated by the Presbyterian Church, we still maintain a covenant relationship with the Presbyterian Church (USA). This covenant relationship, embodying and exemplifying the compassionate love of God as revealed in Jesus Christ, provides support to the primary mission of Presbyterian Manors to serve older adults.

Following a merger of the Synod of Kansas and the Synod of Missouri to create the Synod of Mid-America, the Presbyterian Homes of Missouri, Inc., entered into a management agreement with the United Presbyterian Foundation of Kansas in 1977 to operate its retirement homes. A year later, Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America was founded to manage the interests of both corporations. By 1989, what were 12 individual corporations managed by Presbyterian Manors merged to become Presbyterian Manors, Inc., (PMI) under the management of Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America. PMI owns the property, assets and liabilities of the communities, while PMMA serves as the management corporation for all of the organization’s properties.

Having solidified its corporate and management structures, PMMA and its subsidiaries entered into a covenant agreement with the Synod of Mid-America calling for an ongoing relationship between the two organizations. The agreement is revised and renewed periodically as necessary.

PMMA’s by-laws require that two-thirds of the Presbyterian Manors Board of Trustees must be active members of the Presbyterian Church (USA), the board manages PMMA autonomously. All Presbyterian Manors communities are open to residents of all faiths and spiritual backgrounds.

Today, the 17 communities in Kansas and Missouri provide a range of retirement living options for older adults who are looking to enhance their retirement years, as well as those who are in need of health services as they age. More than 2150 residents call Presbyterian Manors home.

If you’d like to explore more about the history of Presbyterian Manors, please visit 55th Anniversary – 55 Faces of Presbyterian Manors

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