Central Avenue Center of Hope Newsletter A Place Where All are Welcome Fall 2017 Dear Friends, As we are coming near to the end of the year we find ourselves needing contributions. We have had our share of natural disasters, extensive needs of every kind, and the Church has seen challenges never before seen, at least in my lifetime. We recently had a young man take advantage of our fall sale on summer clothes. He spent 50 cents and asked to take a shower. When he had finished his shower he looked like a different man. I commented In This Issue: Letter from CACH Board President 300 Christmas Gifts Needed for All Ages Letter from Marsha Food Items Needed for Holiday Meals Winner of Paper Drive Announced AmazonSmile how good he looked and he proudly told me he was going out and finding employment. I haven t seen him since. We have stories of success daily and it is an honor to be a part of the Center. Please take a moment to think how you can help with Central Avenue Center of Hope. It is our way to help with the homeless and under employed. Thank you for giving to the Center. -Kerry Lukenbill, CACH Board President
HOW CAN YOU HELP BRING HOPE THIS CHRISTMAS SEASON? As Christmas quickly approaches, we ask that you remember Central Avenue Center of Hope in your holiday plans. The holiday season is always a joyous and wonderful time and with YOUR HELP the Central Avenue Center of Hope can bring that same sense of holiday spirit to the families and individuals we serve! There are many options for individuals and organizations to assist: Christmas Store Donations We are having our Christmas Store again this year. We are currently in need of unwrapped new or gently used gifts for our gift table. These gifts are for all ages of children and can include new or gently used toys, books, games, hats, scarves, socks and gloves. These gifts will be provided to less fortunate parents and grandparents who are unable to give gifts to their children and grandchildren. The grandparents and parents will be able to select a donated gift from our Lunch for their grandchildren and children. Christmas Gifts gift table before our Christmas We need YOUR HELP TO DONATE GIFTS for over 400 adults, teens and children who will be in attendance at our Christmas Day meal. Adult Gifts Goal = 100 Adult Male and 100 Adult Female Gifts: In order to assist us with giving each individual an appropriate and equally valued gift, please place your new item(s) valued at $10-$15 in a gift bag with a tag stating adult male or adult female. May include an assortment of items such as fleece blankets, stocking caps, socks, gloves, underwear (size medium), candy, snack food, pens, lighters, flashlights and other useful items to fill wrapped shoe boxes or gift bags. Children & Teens Goal= 100 for ages 0 to 10 and 100 for teens ages 11 to 16: In order to assist us with giving each child an appropriate and equally valued gift, please place your new item(s) valued at $10-$15 in a gift bag with a tag stating whether the gift is for a boy or girl and age range. For example, Boy, Age 10-12. May include toys, books, and games either gender or non-gender specific for children 0-12. Please don t forget teens as you shop. Ideas for teens include personal care items (colognes, body sprays) gloves, hats, scarves, purses, wallets, backpacks, and books.
Thank you for your Generosity! Bob Gauper has been a long time friend of Central Avenue Center of Hope. He used his vehicle to haul items from the Highlands congregation as well as helped create their four corners ministry. CACH is a part of their outreach ministry. He has served on the board of directors since 2015, but because of health issues he has asked to be released from that responsibility. We want to thank him for his service and our prayers will be with him and his wife Beverly. Bob and Beverly you are always welcome in our ministry. Thanks good friend! And the Winner is... The Paper drive was a huge success this year and the competition was fantastic. Thirteen Community of Christ congregations participated with a grand total of over 300,000 items donated. This is an estimated value of over $6,000.00 that will not need to be spent on paper goods. The winner of the traveling trophy this year goes to the Bethel Congregation! Second place goes to the Tonganoxie Congregation, which seems to capture that spot every year. Third place goes to Excelsior Springs Congregation, last year s winner. If it wasn t for all the congregation s donations we could not operate. Thank You for sharing with Central Avenue Center of Hope. We look forward to this friendly competition again next year!
News from the Site Director: We are already into the fall months and planning for the Holidays. I want to thank all the congregations for a very successful paper goods drive. We are running out of room to store all of it. That s a blessing. We were blessed with a donation of the meat from a whole cow by Jake and Wendy Joyce. It was processed into ground beef. It will serve many people a lunchtime meal. We are planning our Holiday meals. We serve a Thanksgiving meal on Thanksgiving Day. Our Christmas meal will be on Friday, Dec. 22. Here is a list of items we need for each of the meals: 7 Turkeys 15lbs or larger 8-10 Hams boneless up to10lbs 60 lbs. Potatoes 5 No. 10 cans of Green Beans 4 No. 10 cans of Sweet Potatoes 24 boxes of Stuffing Mix 8 cans Chicken Bullion 10 lbs stick Margarine or butter 1 gal. Milk Desserts During our Christmas meal we make sure that everyone has a gift to take home. We need wrapped gifts for men, women, youth, children, and infants. We will also have a Christmas Store that morning for Parents and Grandparents to pick out gifts for their children. We need unwrapped toys, books, clothes, shoes, personal items to set out for the parents and grandparents to pick from. The center is always looking for volunteers to help with the lunchtime meal. We can use groups to cook and serve the meal, help to set-up the meal, serve it, and clean-up after the meal. If you are interested please call me 913-233-2511. Thank you all for the continued support for the center. The faces may change but the need does not. Marsha Nave Site Director
We have heat again!! Jeff Wilp with McDaniel Furnace and Sheet Metal has generously donated a new furnace for our shower and kitchen area. We have needed a new heating unit. Ours broke last spring. For many years McDaniel Furnace and Sheet Metal has been located in Independence, Missouri. They are a top rated heating and cooling business. We expressed our need and McDaniel donated immediately to our needs. Mr. Wilp has never been to the Center, to my knowledge yet donated such a wonderful gift. We at Central Avenue Center of Hope thank Mr. Wilp and his fine company. Have you started your Christmas shopping yet? Sign up for AmazonSmile and select Central Avenue Center of Hope as your favorite charitable organization. Amazon will donate 0.5% of eligible purchases to Center of Hope. It is easy and there is no additional cost to you. Please sign up and help provide a meal or other services for those in need in our community. Can you help today? Smile.amazon.com
Midlands Mission Center 7615 N. Platte Purchase Dr. Suite 116 Kansas City, MO 64118 NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID KANSAS CITY, MO 64118 PERMIT NO 2141 Central Avenue Center of Hope Newsletter Fall 2017 7615 N Platte Purchase Dr. Suite 116 Kansas City, MO 64118 Phone: (816) 221-4450 Toll Free: (877) 221-4450 Fax: (816) 221-1420 Kerry Lukenbill President Lois Viers Vice President Barbara Freund Secretary Pamela Mathena Treasurer Marsha Nave Site Director Missy Shields Newsletter Editor & Member Board Members Sunny Day Member Bob Gauper Member Susan Lukens Member Angie Ricketts Member Ed Viers Member Bill Wolfe Member Items needed at Central Avenue Center of Hope If you can help: Kitchen: trash bags, dish soap, laundry soap, eggs, spray oil Pantry: oatmeal, cereals, crackers, catsup, spaghetti sauce, dressings Homeless: winter items Thrift Store: pots, pans, men s boots & shoes, underwear Upcoming Events: Thanksgiving Lunch on Thanksgiving Day Thursday, November 23rd Christmas Lunch on Friday, December 22nd