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KCMO Talk Radio is Celebrating 90 Years of “Feeding” our Kansas City Community! From 1924 to 2014 the City Union Mission has helped to bring hope to those in need RIGHT HERE IN KC! $20.00 to feed 10 people
People in Kansas City are hungry—not only for food, but also for the guidance and opportunities that lead to a better life. FeedKCNow.org is City Union Mission’s urgent initiative to relieve their burdens and bring them hope, and everyone can make an impact. The community is invited and encouraged to partner with the Mission to help feed our neighbors . . . physically, spiritually, emotionally and educationally.
Physically When your stomach is empty and your body is weak and weary, it’s hard to imagine your life can be transformed, let alone muster the strength to make it happen. That’s why we believe hope begins with a meal—and the other physical necessities that allow people to be healthy and whole. Well-balanced daily meals ease the hunger of our guests and struggling members of the community. Safe, warm beds bless the homeless with much-needed rest. We also offer showers, clean clothing, personal-hygiene items, medical care, fitness and wellness classes and more, so those in our care can concentrate on overcoming the challenges that led them to our doors. (The Mission can provide a hot, wholesome meal and the hope that comes with it for approximately $2 per plate.)
Spiritually People are hungry for something to believe in. Those whose spirits have been broken by years of disappointment and despair say the Christ-centered focus of our programs offers a foundation for their lives. Through worship services, Bible studies and church attendance outside the Mission, men and women rebuild their relationship with the Lord—or come to know Him for the very first time. Courses in our recovery curriculum, including budgeting, decision-making and parenting are all Bible-based, and reinforce Christian values.
Emotionally People are hungry for acceptance and understanding. No one wants to face his or her challenges alone. As they walk through our doors, families and individuals are welcomed by staff members and volunteers who are ready to listen and help. Case managers and counselors offer one-on-one support and provide referrals for mental-health evaluations if required. Residents of our recovery programs are uplifted by fellowship with one another as they share past experiences and future goals. Mission-sponsored group outings and activities offer a welcome respite from their shattered lives and the hard work of putting them back together.
Educationally People are hungry for skills that will allow them to regain their independence. Through our long-term lifeecovery programs we provide practical courses in relapse prevention, anger management and decision making, along with training in budgeting, household management and other life skills. As we help build a foundation for their futures, we also offer career development, interview instruction and job-placement assistance. In our Learning Center, residents can access computers for developing workplace skills and online training. Volunteers and staff are on hand to tutor adult “students” in math, reading and other subjects as they prepare for GED exams. They also teach these fundamentals to children in our Vanderberg Youth Center to help them keep up with their classmates and peers. This comprehensive curriculum of guidance and education restores dignity and self-esteem and empowers men and women to take their places as vital and self-sufficient members of our community.
Statistics: 42% of the people the Mission serves are homeless for the first time (115 out of 271). The other 58% suffer chronic homelessness. 60% of homeless surveyed in AGRM 2013 Snapshot are under the age of 45 (194 out of 326). The rest are older men and women who never imagined homelessness as part of their life story 84% of homeless surveyed in AGRM 2013 Snapshot have at most a high-school diploma (276 out of 326). 81% of funds are used toward our programs of rescue, recovery and outreach, which help ease hunger—in so many critical ways—for our homeless and hurting neighbors.
Current statistics comparison: Meals Beds 2000 147,801 61,482 2005 291,650 127,476 2010 364,057 145,055 2013 274,091 165,121 Multiple surveys, performed by diverse groups with dissimilar parameters at various times through the year can lead to conflicting conclusions about the state of homelessness in our city. But the Mission can’t deny what is right on our doorstep every day of the year.
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