Jennifer showed up at the Topeka Rescue Mission’s Hope Center late one Friday evening. She was accompanied by her two young sons and was pregnant with her third. More than hopelessness and despair, this young mother was filled with anger. She was appalled at the idea of staying at a homeless shelter and resented the fact that she was here.

Jennifer had been raised in a Christian home. Both her mother and father were active in their local church, but during Jennifer’s teen years they began developing marriage difficulties. During her senior year in high school, the couple divorced. The blow of the impact led Jennifer down an intense path of bitterness and rebellion. She quickly became heavily involved in alcohol, drugs and partying. As a result, she became a young mother of two children by different men with a third one on the way by yet another father.

Jennifer had been accustomed to a middle class lifestyle and was extremely judgmental towards the other guests who were in need of Rescue Mission services. She openly thought she was better than the rest. However, her family no longer knew how to cope with her anger and rebellion so she found herself with no other options. She was now in her early 20’s and facing the shocking reality of the many bridges that she had already burned. In earlier years when relationships were severed, she always found it very easy to find a new man who would take her into his home. However, on a night of heavy partying, Jennifer was in a serious car accident. She ended up going through the windshield of the car she was riding in and a substantial scar was left on her beautiful face. Using her beauty to secure a new place to live was no longer as simple as it once was. Now there was nowhere else for her to turn except a homeless shelter.

Jennifer was extremely accustomed to getting her own way in previous relationships. As a result, she immediately made it her business to tell the staff of the Rescue Mission what they needed to do for her and how they needed to run the shelter. According to Jennifer, rules did not apply to her because she was better than the rest. She not only challenged the rules with anger but would also refuse to follow curfews and to take care of the basic housekeeping issues of the room she was given at the Hope Center. She was so defiant that she would not even make her bed when we requested it.

Many people have a difficult time when they first enter the Rescue Mission for shelter. Many times there is a great level of shock and disappointment and they are overwhelmed at the fact that they actually became homeless. However, after a period of time, many of these individuals begin to realize that the Mission is a refuge for them in their time of need and they become grateful for the love, support and safety that they receive. Jennifer was not one who had not arrived at that place. Instead, she chose to blame everyone around her. The staff often felt the brunt of her rants as they were frequently told that it was their fault she was still there and that it was them that needed to do a better job to get her out.

The future possibilities for housing and income for Jennifer were pretty bleak, so she ended up signing up for government assistance. However, in order for her to receive that support, she was required to attend classes through Social Rehabilitation Services (SRS). Because she felt she was above the others receiving assistance, she would ignore the numerous appeals from SRS and instead would quickly throw the reminders into the trash.

One day I received a telephone call from a case worker with SRS notifying me of the situation. He told me that Jennifer had violated the procedures so many times that if she missed her next required meeting she would have no further opportunity to receive government benefits and she would be cut off for life. I brought Jennifer into my office and explained the serious nature and importance of her attendance at the next meeting. We devised a plan and even scheduled transportation for her. She said that she understood the severity and agreed to go to the appointment. When the meeting day arrived, Jennifer was nowhere to be found. Our fears became reality later that week when Jennifer came into my office with the letter from the State of Kansas indicating that she had violated procedures too many times and now would no longer be eligible for financial aid.

I remember the sinking feeling I had knowing that, not only did Jennifer not have options, but now the Rescue Mission was very limited on options as well. I had no idea what we were going to do. As Jennifer sat before me, filled with anger and crying profusely, she asked the same question. Instead of reminding her of her failures and pointing out her contribution to the position she was now in, I answered her plainly, “You’re going to get a job”. Jennifer looked at me in shock as the excuses began. I calmly told her that she was not able to stay at the Mission forever and in order to move out she would need income. Since the government, her friends and family would no longer support her, it was her responsibility to get a job. I wasn’t surprised when Jennifer wadded up the letter from the State, threw it on the floor and stormed out of my office—slamming the door on her way out.

I notified the staff at the Hope Center that Jennifer was on her way back. Since it was Friday we arranged for additional staff support. Because she was extremely despondent, hopeless and desperate, there was a potential danger of Jennifer bringing harm to herself or her children and we wanted to ensure that did not occur. None of us rested well that weekend. We watched her and her children very carefully and prayed a lot.

When Monday morning finally rolled around, I was very surprised that I had not received a call that something very difficult had happened. I was even more surprised when one of the staff members contacted me to give me a report about how things went. The excited staff member informed me that a miracle had happened that very morning. Jennifer had made her bed! While it may not seem like a miracle to most, to us, it was. After three months of struggling, this was the first time we had seen cooperation from Jennifer.

Later that day, Jennifer came to me very broken but open to discussing options. I shared with her how we cared about her and her children but that we could not allow her to permanently reside with us. Her only option at this point was employment. She despondently agreed to make the effort and within thirty days was offered a position in a nursing home as an aide. She had never worked in that area before but was now beginning to find skills and interest that she didn’t know she had. As she persevered, the staff at the nursing home gave her great encouragement and the residents were appreciative of her great compassion and care.

Jennifer was on her way to experiencing a level of responsibility she had never before known. The staff at the Mission consistently commented on the wonderful job that she was doing with her children, personal hygiene and room. Her demeanor was rapidly changing from one of anger, bitterness and combativeness to kindness, gentleness and cooperation. The small miracle of making her bed turned into a large unfolding miracle in Jennifer’s life.

After about two months of working at the nursing home, Jennifer, now seven months pregnant, came to see me. She sincerely told me how appreciative she was of all we had done for her and how much she was enjoying caring for others. Then, she told me that in spite of how well things were going, she, like many other guests of the Mission, really needed a vehicle. I think that those of us who have vehicles often take for granted the ease to which we are able to get around. For most who are homeless however, they are dependent upon walking, riding a bike or using public transportation. I knew that Jennifer had been using a bus to get to her job and questioned if that was not working well for her. She replied with gratefulness and said that it was, but that it would be much easier if she had her own car. When I asked her why, she shared her daily schedule—which still brings tears to my eyes to this day.

Every morning Jennifer would wake up around 5:30am to get herself ready and prepare her two boys for daycare. She would bathe, dress and then walk them across the street for breakfast. She would then walk to the bus stop with her boys to wait for the bus which would take them to her three-year old son’s daycare. She would check him in and then take her four-year old back to the bus stop to wait for the second bus to take him to his daycare. They would then walk from the bus stop to the daycare and get checked in. She then returned back to the bus stop to wait for the bus that would drop her off near her job. She would walk to the nursing home and just barely make her start time to work her eight hour shift. When she finished her work day, she would walk back to the bus stop and go through the lengthy routine all over again. When the three finally got back to the Mission, they were able to eat a late dinner before collapsing in their beds only to repeat the same routine the next day. She told me how much she loved her job, her children and the Rescue Mission. She told me that she had been saving money and asked, “Will you please help me find a cheap car? It would sure help us so much.”

Listening to the daily schedule of this young mother, now well into her third pregnancy, completely wore me out. I told her that I realized that she was a young woman with more strength and ability than I had imagined. I honestly told her that I was not sure that I could do as well with the same set of circumstances and I promised her that I would do everything I could to help find her a car.

I remember sharing Jennifer’s story later that day with staff at the Rescue Mission and others in the community. I relayed all of the steps she daily had to take to get her children and herself to daycare, work and back to the Mission. Everyone I shared it with was overwhelmed. We’ve heard the phrase that we should not judge a person until we have walked in her shoes. This situation was an ear-opener to me, and many others, about the challenges that many people who are homeless, impoverished and broken face every day.

After some time, we were able to find a car—which made Jennifer’s working experience much easier. Her new found success in life, the opportunities before her and the strength that she discovered from within were all evidences that family and friends in her life eventually began to notice.  She went back to church with her mother and became a role model for other individuals coming into the Mission.

Jennifer had to take a break from work to have her third child. However, it wasn’t long before she settled back in to her new found passion through employment. Today, Jennifer is a very successful mother of three, an assistant administrator in a local care facility and is happily married to a very supportive husband. I see Jennifer periodically in the community. We don’t have to say much to each other, but we can look at each other and are reminded that we have a big God—One who is patient with us, has a plan for us and will forgive us of everything that we have ever done.

Jennifer represents a life that was headed toward total destruction. It was because of our loving God and our compassionate community who helped to provide a place for her and her children that Jennifer today is helping many find a way out of the dark path that she once was walking.

This month we recognize the countless mothers who have made great sacrifices for their children. Every mother and child who comes through the doors of the Topeka Rescue Mission has a story. Some have endured challenges and circumstances beyond what our human minds can comprehend.

To every mother who has ever had to step out of her comfort zone to do what was best for her child, thank you. Today, our world is made up of many courageous men and women because of you and your efforts. God has a plan for the many mothers staying at the Mission and He has a plan for you. Don’t ever give up. Know that in the end, your sacrifice, your perseverance and your love do make a difference.

When going through difficult times, we often hear the familiar words – there’s always hope. When we look at the lives of those suffering around us, do we believe it? Is there really hope in the situations that seem impossible? In the lives that seem so lost? For me, it was a man named Johnny who helped me to realize that, even in the most devastating of circumstances, there is always hope.
Johnny came to the Topeka Rescue Mission in 1987. Just like most of the other men who walk through our doors, he was looking very desperate and feeling utterly hopeless. Johnny was one of the more difficult guests of the Mission. He was continually breaking the rules and not following through with the assignments that were given to better himself. Through all of his apparent rebellion and faults, there was something extremely likeable about Johnny. You could tell very much that this fifty-six year old man just wanted somebody to love him.
When we see people like Johnny displaying certain behaviors, it is sometimes easy to shake our heads and think that there is no hope left for them.  It is not until we see the shoes that they have walked in that we begin to understand the true identity of the person who lies within. To get to that place, we have to understand why the person is responding the way that he is.
The answer to my question of why Johnny acted the way that he did became much clearer as he began sharing with me about where his homelessness, alcoholism, drug-addiction and multiple broken relationships
had begun…
There is no doubt that the horrors of war can only be fully realized by those who have experienced it for themselves. In 1950, when Johnny was just 19 years of age, he was drafted out of his rural community in Northeast Kansas and sent into a very serious and difficult situation in Korea. The effects of what he experienced during that time forever changed his life. Johnny saw more death and suffering than can be put into words. While in combat, he was captured by the enemy and spent a year of his life in the darkness and anguish of a North Korean Prisoner of War camp. While imprisoned, he saw fellow soldiers and friends tortured and put to death. While he too suffered extreme physical and emotional abuse—he somehow managed to survive.
When Johnny was finally rescued and recovered from his injuries, he was sent back home. With great excitement and anticipation he stepped up onto the front porch of his home. Before he made it to the door, Johnny was met by his intoxicated father. Without any greeting, he was quickly told that his older brother had been killed in action in Korea. His father went on to heartlessly exclaim that while his brother was a hero, Johnny was nothing but a traitor. He stood on that porch, shocked and bewildered, as his father angrily called him a coward and told him that the only reason he was alive was because he must have told the enemy what they wanted to know. Silent and stunned, Johnny could feel the life draining out of him as his father told him that he had two sons, one who had died a hero, the other a traitor. “Johnny,” he cruelly spoke, “you are dead to me. I never want to see you again.” The door was slammed in Johnny’s face and from that point on, the downward spiral of his life began. Johnny walked into the local tavern and began his thirty-five year journey of addiction and abuse. The journey that led to a $350 a day heroin addiction that could only be supported through theft. The journey that caused him to spend countless nights sleeping in dumpsters and abandoned buildings. The journey that brought him to the Topeka Rescue Mission.
Over the next several months, Johnny and I became quite close as he shared more of the traumas of his past with me. Once I received a deeper understanding of why Johnny acted in some of the ways that he did, I also received a deeper compassion and knowledge that encouraged me to further explore how we could help Johnny. One particular way was beyond my scope of comprehension and I’ll never forget the day that he came to me, 25 years my senior, asking me for a favor. Humbly and earnestly Johnny looked at me and slowly asked, “Would you mind if I called you… Dad?” Johnny was old enough to be my father, but I saw the sincerity in his eyes and I now knew his story. I looked at him with compassion, gently smiled and nodded my head. From that day on in our relationship, I was no longer Barry… I had become Dad.
The unknown elements that are involved in someone’s decision to move from bitterness towards God to embracing and accepting the gift of God are all very different. I don’t know if it was the place where he was in life, the shelter that was provided for him, the positive influences of the volunteers, or in part his new dad, but one night during a Chapel service in the old Mission building, Johnny laid down his life and accepted Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Savior.  Even though Johnny remained rough around the edges and a little bit more ornery than most people appreciated, Johnny quickly became a new man with a transformed life. I watched as Johnny the alcoholic, Johnny the drug-addict and Johnny the thief became one of the most loving, giving and compassionate men I have ever known.
As Johnny moved forward, he discovered numerous gifts that had been buried deep within. He found skills in the area of food service and loved sharing his abilities at the kitchen in the Mission. His new life caused him to also give of his time and talents in his church where he began working with young people through Sunday School and summer youth camp programs. His service was so commendable and far-reaching that, together with a former guest of the Mission who later became his wife, Johnny was recognized throughout the community of Topeka for his devotion in helping others who suffer to find comfort and purpose.
One Saturday morning, while Johnny was volunteering at the Mission serving breakfast to those who were hungry and hopeless, his heart stopped beating. This man, who had given his heart to Christ and his life to others, was now ready to fully embrace the true rewards of his service. Though Johnny’s beginnings were very difficult and sad, his end was filled with life, joy and fulfillment. I am convinced that it was through the eternal plan of a loving God and those who embraced an unloving individual like Johnny that this life became one that was resurrected, not only in this life but in the life to come.
The promise of Easter is one of resurrection and life. While we celebrate our risen Lord at this time, we also celebrate the lives that have been restored and resurrected as a result of His mercy, His goodness and His love. God indeed replaced the broken walls and redeemed the time for this one man named Johnny. If He could do it for him, He can do it for anyone. May the memory of this life be an eternal reminder that in Christ, there is true hope ahead.

I am convinced that no child ever says, “I want to be a drug addict when I grow up,” or “when I get older I hope to fail at everything I do.” Many people like Johnny have had challenges and tragedies in their lives that have contributed to some of the poor decisions that they have made. While it is true that everyone is ultimately responsible for the decisions that they make, circumstances can often influence the direction that a person goes.
At the Topeka Rescue Mission we regularly ask God for the insight into the identity of each unique individual who stands before us – beyond the addiction, beyond the hopelessness and through the eyes of Jesus Christ. In doing so we begin to recognize that there is hope for each one.
Christ came that none should perish but that all would have the opportunity for abundant life (2 Peter 3:9, John 10:10). This includes the alcoholic, the prostitute, the addict, the thief… you and me. There is no obstacle too great or mistake so large that would ever cause our loving Father above to ever forget about any one of us. It wasn’t until Johnny gave up control and handed his life over to the Lord that change began to come forth. As he laid his life down, Christ picked him up and brought forth the hope and new life that can only come from above.
If you are one of the many who have asked the question, “Is there really hope?” I assure you that there is and the answer is Jesus Christ. May you find the hope, the joy and the abundant life that He brings this Easter season and may it last throughout your days.

The first component in our strategic plan for addressing homelessness is to expand Operation Street Reach (OSR). Since January of 2011, OSR has been on the streets, in the woods, along riverbanks and under bridges reaching out to individuals who are unsheltered and homeless. OSR Director, Justyn Hosman, and his team of volunteers have gone outdoors with necessary supplies such as food, water, coffee, socks, gloves and the Good News, while also introducing and offering services that are available in our community.

Over these past few months, expansion efforts have taken place which has allowed Operation Street Reach to work more cohesively and collaboratively with other agencies within our community. Twice a week, Operation Street Reach and Valeo Behavioral Health combine efforts to reach those who are in need. The Topeka Police Department is also actively involved in outreach endeavors and have made themselves readily available as needs arise. Because numerous individuals have been found near railroad properties, new relationships with the railway systems have also been developed. As more individuals are seeking refuge, many are setting up camp inside abandoned buildings. To address these concerns, Code Enforcement is now also active in working with OSR to reach these individuals. Numerous other agencies within our community have begun to have increased awareness of the population of individuals staying outdoors and are eagerly coming to the table to assist. This includes but is not limited to, Let’s Help, Prairie Band/Pottawattamie Nation, Community Resources Council, and Marian Clinic.

We recognize that to effectively make a difference in our community, we cannot attempt any of our endeavors alone. We are grateful for the relationships that have come forth and look forward to further working together with others in our community in the future.

Over the course of the next several months, we will be sharing about Operation NET-Reach and the progress in developing a new intake facility, which will provide shelter for approximately 180 additional men, women and children. Because such an endeavor is a huge undertaking, it is tempting to question and wonder how such a vision will ever come forth. However, as I recall the many ways in which God has intervened in the Mission’s past, I can’t help but trust and know that if God is at the helm, surely every need will be supplied and His plans will come forth. Inside is just a taste of the ways in which our current Main Mission Building came to be. May your faith be boosted and your heart encouraged as you read.

It was March 1989. I can still vividly recall the phone call I received at home from one of our staff members who was frantically sharing that a huge limestone rock had just fallen through the drop ceiling of the shelter. Not only that, but the place where the large rock fell was directly on top of a chair that a guest had been sitting in just moments before. Because of the size of the rock and the weight of the impact, all that remained of the chair was a shattered pile of rubble. Surely, if the guest hadn’t have moved, he too would have been crushed and either severely injured or killed. When the city inspectors came out to examine, they confirmed that the building had begun shifting and that everyone would need to immediately evacuate that portion of the building for safety reasons. Permission was given for the approximately twenty men staying at the Mission to stay on the floor inside the dining area downstairs as a sleeping alternative.

For two days, time was spent hauling all belongings to the first floor of the building to prevent further destruction to any property. The moment that two of the guys reached the bottom of the staircase with the last load of items, the entire ceiling of the second floor immediately caved in and smoke from the impact rolled down the stairs. Miraculously, no one was injured but the building was completely falling down. Because of the poor financial status of the Mission at the time, there was nothing anyone could do about it. The Board and I prayed and we came up with two options. Either we could go out of business because there were no finances or we could walk by faith and trust God for something phenomenally huge. The latter was chosen and the mapping out of the blueprint for what a new building would look like began immediately. The estimated cost was calculated  at 1.5 million dollars – nothing that was by any means possible in the natural. I remember the sinking feeling that came over me when I heard that number. “Surely it can’t be done,” I thought. But as the months progressed, God was faithful to show me how very wrong I was.

As the Board and I prayed, there was a strong consensus among us that we believed we were to purchase and build where five dilapidated buildings were standing across the street from the current Mission building. We continued walking by faith and drew up plans for the new building. Within two months of making the decision to move forward, but not yet making our decision public, the City had decided that they were going to condemn the buildings that stood on the land which we believed the Lord was showing us to build upon. When I timidly made my first ever phone call to the Mayor’s Office, I was informed by the Mayor that the Mission could bid on the properties but that we would never receive them because of the $50,000 lien that was attached. Regardless of the obvious deterrence, we pressed forward and continued to stand on what we believed the Lord had shown us. Within a short period of time, against all odds, the properties were ours.

When the announcement became public that the Mission was choosing to build, God came forth in many extraordinary ways and all of the provision needed was supplied. I couldn’t possibly begin to list them all, but one such memory was when a stranger showed up in my office unannounced. The man looked ordinary, wearing jeans, a white T-shirt and tennis shoes. Upon my first impression, I assumed this man was one of the guests staying at the Mission. He began asking questions about the building and the construction details. “What will the outside of the building be made of?” he asked. When I responded, “metal,” he retorted by telling me that metal was a bad idea. He told me that it needed to be made out of concrete instead. I held my breath while he proceeded to ask me what the inside of the building would consist of. As I responded, “sheet rock,” the man again replied that it was a bad idea and that it too needed to be made of concrete block. Not interested in continuing to be interrogated from a stranger, I politely told him that, bad idea or not, the Mission could simply not afford the purchase of the concrete block that would be needed to construct the building. The man answered calmly, “Yes, you can,” and went on to introduce himself as the owner of Capital Concrete. I was stunned. He said that if he ever had to live at the Mission, he would not want it to look like junk and because of all that the Lord had done for him in his life, he was going to donate all of the gray concrete block that was needed. He asked me then what I thought of the color of the block. Being accustomed to the dreary paneling and bare rock that filled the old building, I responded that it looked okay to me! He shook his head and suggested that everything be painted and volunteered to donate all of the paint needed as well. Suddenly, this “impossible” endeavor was beginning to look more and more plausible.

By faith, the volunteers were scheduled to arrive on September 17, 1989 to begin building demolition. I’ve learned that as we walk by faith, God often enjoys showing up at the last minute. This situation was no different as it was not until two days prior to the scheduled date that the legal permission was granted for us to move forward. An army of volunteers arrived and the project began. All started well, but within the first few days of demolition and excavation, I received a visit from the head of Schmidtlein Excavating, Inc. He grimly shared that they had located two underground storage tanks that were filled with contaminants. As a result, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment and the Environmental Protection Agency would need to be contacted immediately. Excavation was halted and from my bleak perspective, there was no hope in sight. The ground needed to be tested for contaminants and there was a possibility that the estimated cost to correct the problem would be a couple of million dollars. Once again, I remembered that all-too-familiar sinking feeling and was tempted to completely lose faith. However, the call to prayer went out throughout our City. Within twenty-four hours, we received contact from the environmental agencies performing the tests. They informed us that based on everything that was evaluated, the contaminants should have leaked into the ground. However, when they tested the land they found that not a trace of contamination was present and they were able to safely remove the tanks with no excessive costs. With man, this would have been impossible, but with God I was learning that all things truly were possible!

I could go on about the numerous ways in which God has provided in the Mission’s past. That same God who opened doors, made the impossible possible, and provided for every need is still the same today. We are grateful for the vision that He has brought forth through Operation NET-Reach and look forward with excitement and anticipation of the many ways His hand will be upon us in the year ahead. Your partnership with us means more than you know. It means hope, new life, and history in the making for the Mission and our community. Thank you for your prayers, your gifts, and your support. We could not do any of this apart from you. May the reality of God’s limitless possibilities be yours in the days ahead.

Sincerely,
Barry Feaker
Executive Director

Hundreds gathered at the Great Overland Station on February 1st as Barry Feaker presented on some of the short-term and long-term strategies for addressing homelessness in our community. Currently, the Mission is continuing to work with the City of Topeka for final approval for the development of a new shelter, which will be known as the “First Step Shelter”.

Our Mentor Program is being developed and we are excited about new partnerships being formed. We are actively working with community partners to develop plans to further address homelessness, hunger and poverty which will transform our neighborhoods and create a healthier community. We recognize that as we move forward, none of this will be possible apart from God and the support of our community. Thank you for prayers in each one of these areas as we continue to move forward in the plans set before us. We look forward to providing additional updates in the future.

Food

Cereal  (Hot & Cold)
Lunch Meats
Cans of Fruit, Vegetables and Beans (Any Size)
Coffee
Items for Sack Lunches (Snack Pack pudding,
Fruit cups, Granola Bars, etc.)

Clothing

Men’s Boxer Shorts (new) – all sizes
Ladies Bra’s (new) all sizes
Women’s Underwear (new) – Sizes 5,6 & 8
Jeans – New or Used
Men’s and Women’s Summer Clothing
Kid’s Summer Clothing – Sizes 18 Months to Size 9
Women’s Socks – All Sizes

Supply Items

Shaving Cream
Shampoo and Conditioner (Large Bottles)
Hairbrush
Toothbrush (Adult Size)
Diapers – Size 6
Pull-ups – All Sizes
Feminine Hygiene (Pads and Tampons)
Toilet Paper and Paper Towels
Pots & Pans
Cooking Utensils
Trash Bags (16, 30 and 55 gallon sizes)
Zip Lock Bags  (Quart Size)

Furniture (In Good Condition)

Mattresses and Box Springs – All Sizes
Large appliances – i.e. washers, dryers, refrigerators and gas and electric stoves
Bath Towels, hand towels and wash cloths
Pillows and Bedding – All Sizes

This past year was filled with many challenges as individuals and families poured into the Topeka Rescue Mission in search of help. Without the generosity so freely given by our community and the faithfulness of God to provide, the accomplishments listed in this report would not have been possible. Thank you for your continued compassion towards those who are homeless or in need and for the many ways you have been a blessing to the Topeka Rescue Mission.

Guest Tracking

• 2,201 unduplicated individuals received shelter
• 1,188 men
• 661 women
• 352 children
• 95,658 total nights of shelter provided
• 262 individuals sheltered on average each night

Food Services

• 245,257 meals from our kitchen
• 40,512 meals distributed through food boxes
• 238,816 meals and supplied food to partner agencies
• 524,585 total meals served and distributed
• $1,559,921 food donors saved TRM

If food needed to be purchased, the estimated cost would have been $3.00 per meal or $1,573,755. However, because of the generosity of donors, the total monetary cost for food was only $13,834, or three cents ($.03) per meal.

Distribution Center

• 2,972 individuals received clothing through the Clothing Bank
• Approximately 11,034 household items, including beds, furniture and major appliances were given to 8,384 individuals
• Countless personal hygiene items and school supplies were given to those in need

Christmas

• 2,184 children
• 3,685 total individuals received gifts and food baskets

Direct Help

• 1,025 occurrences of medical help, including visits in our clinic, as well as dental, vision and prescription assistance
• 6,086 transportation vouchers (bus tickets, cab fare, etc) were provided
• 55 occasions of rental and utility assistance were provided
• 374 occurrences of additional direct help for miscellaneous items (phone cards, stamps, identification, etc) were also provided

Volunteer Services

• 32,000 volunteer hours were provided
• 985 volunteers
• 1,070 volunteer instances occurred on average each month
• Conservatively, at minimum wage ($7.25/hour) these hours would have cost $232,000

2011 Expense by Source

Program 72%
This includes shelter, meals, rehabilitation programs, case management, housing referrals and services provided through our Distribution Center.

Repairs and Maintenance 12%
Covers the upkeep of 72,000 square feet of Mission property.

Administrative 7%
Includes donor system management, volunteer management, guest records and evaluation.

Direct Help 4%
Financial assistance provided for rent and utilities, medications, transportation, identification, stamps, phone cards and similar services provided to both guests and non-guests of the Mission.

Public Relations and Advertising 3%
Efforts used to acquire financial/material resources and volunteer recruitment. All efforts supported entirely by donations, no government funds used.

Public Education 2%
Information to the public on how to help the homeless.

2011 Income by Source

Individuals 72.4%
Businesses 7.8%
Churches 5.9%
DC Recycling 5.9%
Thrift Store 5.7%
Associations 1.8%
Misc 0.5%

Nearly 20 years ago, I spent a lot of time working with a family who was struggling tremendously. In attempts to offer support, I would visit them in their home on a regular basis. Throughout the majority of those visits, the youngest of the three siblings made it very clear each time I came that she wanted nothing to do with me. If I walked in a room or tried to speak to her, she would quickly turn her head the other way and stubbornly refuse to acknowledge me in the slightest. When I looked at little Sally*, all I could see was a sadness and hardness much deeper than any little girl of only four should possess.

When Sally was between the ages of four and seven, I had various encounters with her and her family. Over that course of time, regardless of my many attempts, she never did warm up to me. That is not unlike what we see at the Mission on occasion. Over time, many people become hardened because of anger, tragedies that have occurred in their lives, mental illness and other circumstances. While we can repeatedly give our best efforts to reach out to them, there are those times when all we receive in return is failure from our best attempts, which have been tried over and over again.

After Sally turned seven years of age, her appendix ruptured, causing an unpleasant hospital stay. Knowing that I would not likely be received well by her, I decided that I would go and visit her anyway. On the way to her room, I passed the hospital gift shop window and saw the cutest little bunny rabbit with a red bow tied on one of his ears. I went in,bought the gift and walked into Sally’s room, careful to hide the bunny behind my back.

Sally was lying in bed experiencing a lot of pain after recovering from the surgery she had just had the day before. When I walked in, she responded as I expected and turned the other way. I proceeded to call her name a couple of times before she finally looked at me, with a scowl, as if to say, “What are you doing here?” I gently told her that I had brought her something and then I slowly pulled the bunny rabbit from behind my back and held it out to her. Sally looked back and forth from the bunny rabbit to me a couple of times. She looked in my eyes sheepishly as if to ask, “Why would you give me this?” She then stared at that bunny for a few moments before finally stretching her arms out toward it. For the first time in three years, I saw Sally smile. And as she held tight to that little bunny rabbit, she and I had our first conversation.

After Sally recovered and returned home, I went to her family’s home to visit as usual. I was both shocked and amazed when I walked through the door. This little girl who previously had gone out of her way to avoid me for as long as we had known each other, quickly ran up to me and gave me a huge hug and asked me to play.

Over the course of time, Sally and I became pretty good friends. As she grew up, I was consistently invited to different activities and events that she was participating in. Whenever she saw me in the community, regardless of who she was with, she would always come up and give me a familiar hug.
This past year, twenty years later, I received a Christmas card from Sally and in it was a picture of her new baby boy. The little girl I once knew is now married, has her own children and has successfully completed law school. While I can’t take credit for any of her accomplishments, I can’t help but wonder what her life and our relationship would have been like if I would not have stopped at the gift shop to purchase that little bunny rabbit so many years ago.

There are times in life when we find it difficult and sometimes impossible to relate to someone else. However, even in the midst of the trepidation and uncertainty, God can use something as simple as a toy, a cup of water, or a bed to sleep in to spark the beginning of a new relationship and birth hope within a person’s life; oftentimes producing results which extend far beyond our realm of comprehension.

For the past 59 years, faithful supporters of the Topeka Rescue Mission have donated financial resources, clothing, toys, furniture, food, household items and volunteered their time. Each one of these donations has been appreciated, not just because of the immediate need it fills for the people we help, but also because of the compassion and care that is displayed through each act of giving. While it may seem insignificant, your donation could quite possibly be the one that makes an ever-lasting impact in the life of the next person, hungry for hope, who walks through our doors.

Thank you for continually taking the time to care for those in need. May God’s abundant blessings be upon you as together we care for those set before us.

Sincerely,
Barry Feaker

*for confidentiality, child’s name has been changed in the story

Food Items

• Cereal (Hot & Cold)
• Peanut Butter & Jelly
• Mac & Cheese
• Lunch Meats
• Hamburger/Tuna Helper (Boxed Meals)
• Spaghetto’s / Ravioli
• Cans of Fruit (Any Size)
• Cans of Vegetables (Any Size)
• Cans of Beans (Any Size)
• Cans of Spaghetti / Pasta Sauce (Any Size)
• Coffee
• Pasta
• Tomato Sauce
• Sugar
• Tuna (Canned Meats)
• Items for Sack Lunches (i.e. Snack Pack pudding, Fruit cups, Granola Bars, etc.)
• Pork sausage
• Cream soups (i.e. mushroom. chicken. celery)

Supply Items

• Shaving Cream
• Conditioner (Large Bottles)
• Diapers – All Sizes
• Pull-ups – All Sizes
• Feminine Hygiene (Pads & Tampons)
• Toilet Paper & Paper Towels
• Shampoo (Large Bottles)
• Pots & Pans
• Cooking Utensils
• Hair Brushes
• Toothbrushes (Adult Size)
• Trash Bags (16 gallon, 30 gallon & 55 gallon sizes)
• Zip Lock Bags (Quart Size)

Clothing

• Men’s Boxer Shorts – Sizes small/medium/large
• Ladies Bra’s (All Sizes)
• Jeans – New & Used

Furniture (In good condition)

• Mattresses – All Sizes
• Large appliances – i.e. washers, dryers, ranges & refrigerators
• Used Furniture – i.e. couches, recliners, easy chairs & tables

Donation Information

• Best Donation site is at our Distribution Center 401 NW Norris, 8:00AM – 3:00PM Mon.- Fri. Saturday 8AM – Noon.
• Any other time, you may take your donations to the Main Shelter at 600 N. Kansas. However, due to space limitations, we are only able to receive items that will fit in a bag or box at this location. We however must reload anything taken to this location and transfer to the Distribution Center, so your help in delivering to the Distribution Center helps us greatly.
• Please do not leave donations outside the Distribution Center when closed!
• Thank You!