Volunteer Finds ‘A Village’ at River of Refuge A Tennessee native, a graduate of a Presbyterian college in Florida, and a one-time New Yorker. Chicago is also part of that list, but Marian Hogins, 78, finally put down permanent roots in Kansas City, Missouri, when she married four decades ago. A wanderer no more, Hogins…

Special Cupcakes from Area Church Sweeten Holidays at River of Refuge The Messiah Church of the Brethren in Kansas City, Missouri, has a small congregation with an artistic flair and a soft spot for kids. Combine that with a penchant for baking (including one member who is a frosting whiz), and the church’s creatively topped…

Extended Stay Helps Father Now Thriving Outside Kansas City Parents who buckle down and focus on the life-skills courses we teach at River of Refuge are typically ready to move out with their children after no more than six months in our program. Samuel Payton was as diligent as anyone in absorbing the parenting and…

Passion for Kids Drives Dedicated ROR Volunteer “I’m usually worn out by the end of this,” Grace Arnone said on a recent evening at River of Refuge. And it’s easy to see why after Arnone, 27, spent more than an hour wrangling, cajoling, and (gently) chiding nearly 20 kids in the community room. The kids,…

Celebration Part I: River of Refuge Recognizes Graduates Before coming to River of Refuge, Jesse Hubbard would sometimes satisfy her coffee craving with three runs a day to her favorite coffee shop. The urge is still there, but Hubbard, 23, now only indulges about once a week. Her forbearance comes from the budgeting principles she…

River of Refuge Kicking Off Adopt-A-Family Drive for Christmas These are just a couple of the bikes generous organizations donated as part of last year’s adopt-a-family program. “Kids are supposed to have presents to open on Christmas,” said Jacki Ezell, River of Refuge program director. As coordinator of River of Refuge’s adopt-a-family program, Ezell ensures…

Police Use Old Hospital Tower to Train for Hostage Rescue Kansas City police officers inspect a door as part of a hostage rescue exercise they conducted last month in River of Refuge’s old hospital tower. Dimensions of the door help determine the amount of explosives officers will use to breach the door without hurting the…

Generous Donors Scare Up Great Back-To-School Brunch Saturday’s back-to-school brunch could have been mistaken for a Halloween party. The skeletons that appeared to be roaming the community room were really adults and kids wearing moisturizing masks applied by volunteer beauticians — all part of the program to provide our families a fresh start to the…

ROR Graduate Returns as Case Manager ROR graduate Michelle Baker, right, joined River of River in May to work alongside Dianna Poston as another case manager. Rock bottom came for Michelle Baker when her Independence, Missouri, home had been robbed, her car repossessed, her electricity shut off, and her will to live sapped by a…