Brand GuideVía · No Wrong Door · Wichita 2026
Brand Guide
Voice & tone, anti-stigma standards, visual guidelines, and the disruption-mode protocol for every Vía communication.
Identity
Vía is infrastructure, not charity. The brand reads as civic — a route, not a rescue. The mark, palette, and voice all carry the same thesis: there is a way, and every door returns the same destination.
Logo
Right-pointing chevron — forward motion. Amber and white strokes over slate. Readable at 24px.
Palette
Slate primary. Warm amber action. Teal for data. All WCAG AA.
Voice
Direct. Specific. Dignity-first. Name the bed, not “resources.”
Tone shifts by audience — calm for crisis, operational for case managers, evidence-forward for funders.
Voice & Tone
Vía speaks differently to each audience. The core voice is always direct, specific, and dignity-first. Tone shifts by context.
Person in Crisis — Maya, Denise, Robert
Calm, specific, immediate. Never condescending. Names the place and the bed — not "resources."
DO say
"I see an opening at Harvest Hope tonight — 217 N. Broadway. I've reserved it for you until 9 PM."
"You don't need an appointment. Show up at the front desk and mention Vía."
DON'T say
"There are several resources available in your area that you can look into."
"Our team is working hard to connect you with the support you deserve."
Landlord — Luis
Business-direct. Vía is infrastructure, not charity. Lead with tenant reliability, payment assurance, reduced vacancy.
DO say
"Vía connects you with pre-screened applicants who already have housing support in place. Vacancy filled faster, with a case manager contact on file."
DON'T say
"Help us help homeless people find housing in your building."
Case Manager — Jordan
Operational, time-aware, no jargon. Jordan needs to know what's happening right now and what expires when.
DO say
"Maria's placement at St. Francis is confirmed. Bed hold expires in 14 days — flag if she needs an extension."
DON'T say
"The client has been processed and assigned to a shelter resource in the network."
Funder / City Council
Evidence-forward, civic in framing. Lead with numbers and system-level impact.
DO say
"In Q1 2026, Vía reduced time-to-placement by 48% across Sedgwick County's 6 partner organizations — 847 placements, coordinated in real time."
DON'T say
"We helped many underserved individuals find shelter and hope this quarter. So grateful for our community's generosity."
Prohibited Language
Every word Vía publishes must treat people as whole human beings — not categories, not caseloads. This is not a style suggestion; it is a standard.
| Don't say | Say instead | Why |
|---|---|---|
| "the homeless" | "people experiencing homelessness" | Humanizes. Avoids defining a person by their housing status. |
| "clients" | Name the person (e.g., "Maria") | Restores dignity. People are not cases or transaction records. |
| "the underserved" | Name the specific gap (e.g., "people discharged from the hospital without housing") | Specificity drives accountability. |
| "aging-out kids" | "young adults transitioning from foster care" | "Kids" minimizes; "aging-out" reduces a life event to a bureaucratic deadline. |
| "chronically homeless" | "people experiencing long-term homelessness" | Avoids clinical labeling that implies permanence. |
Anti-Stigma Visual Guidelines
Visuals communicate before words. Images must reflect agency, place, and real infrastructure — not manufactured emotion.
Do NOT use
- Doorway photos — Reduce a human life to a symbol of failure.
- Backs-to-camera — Anonymizing removes identity and implies shame.
- Poverty porn — Images chosen to trigger pity exploit the subject.
- Sunset silhouettes — Cliché; implies the subject is defined by their struggle.
- Hands clasped in prayer — Implies helplessness; frames housing as charity.
- Anonymous silhouettes — Reinforces the idea that people are interchangeable.
DO use
- Civic infrastructure — Transit hubs, city buildings, real Wichita landmarks.
- Named places — The actual ICT drop-in center, Harvest Hope at 217 N. Broadway.
- Agency-forward portraits with consent — Subject faces camera, chose to be seen, signed a consent form.
- Data visualizations — Maps, flow diagrams, system charts — the network, not individual suffering.
- Action and motion — People navigating, arriving, engaging with systems.
Disruption-Mode Messaging Protocol
When the network enters disruption mode, all communications switch to pre-approved copy. This protocol governs what is sent, by whom, and in what order.
Activation Trigger
Disruption mode activates automatically when network status transitions to strained or emergency. Manual activation is available to authorized operators. The standard planned disruption window is 1:00 PM local time.
- 1
Automatic UI switch
Vía interface switches to disruption-mode UI: amber alert banner, alternate routing copy, real-time bed availability. No manual copy editing required.
- 2
Communications team alert
Designated communications lead receives an automated system alert. Do not send ad-hoc communications until the alert is confirmed and the situation understood.
- 3
Use pre-approved copy only
All disruption communications use the "system strained" or "emergency" templates. Ad-hoc copy introduces language errors under pressure.
- 4
Partner notification
All partner organizations receive a push notification within 5 minutes of disruption activation. Includes: status, affected beds/routes, expected resolution window.
- 5
Social media post
If public communication is warranted, use the pre-approved template. Example: "Vía network is operating at reduced capacity in [district]. Alternate routing is active — updates every 30 minutes."
- 6
Return to normal
Manual reset by an authorized operator is required. Post resolution notice in coordinator channel and social posts.
Color Palette
All colors meet WCAG AA contrast ratios (4.5:1 body text, 3:1 large text).
Typography
Display / Headings — Inter
Vía — No Wrong Door
Body — Inter Regular
Clear, direct, accessible. Every word earns its place. No filler, no charity language, no vague promises — only what is specific and true.
Mono — JetBrains Mono (data surfaces)
847 placements · 48% faster · 6 partners