Unlikely Source Provides River of Refuge Families with Cozy Gifts If you were to guess the group that has donated handmade quilts, scarves and hats to River of Refuge, what would it be? Chances are men serving time at the state prison in St. Joseph, Missouri, would not be one of the first thoughts that…

Bring on the Scissors and Tape: River of Refuge Parents Ready Kids’ Christmas Presents It’s a long way from the North Pole, and there are no elves to be found, but for one evening every year, the large meeting room at River of Refuge becomes something of a holiday workshop. That’s the time, about two…

River of Refuge Extends Stay for Mom Recuperating from Brain Surgery Anita Corwin moves into an Independence, Missouri, apartment next month, and loves her work as a supervisor at a hotel on the Country Club Plaza. At 36 years old, and the mother of three boys, she has overcome a family history of addiction that…

River of Refuge Parents Gain Conflict Resolution Skills It seems as if vitriol and strife are all around us, but River of Refuge families are learning how to manage disputes in their households and elsewhere via an anger-management-based curriculum. Debbie Bayless and Ryan S. Harvey are leading the seven sessions now being taught during Monday…

East Kansas City Church Has ‘Huge’ Impact on ROR Pantry When two Kansas City, Missouri, churches merged a little more than a decade ago, the members decided that the Greek word for fellowship captured the spirit of the congregation. One way Koinonia Bible Church, at 7020 Richmond Ave., carries out that mission today is as…

Husband and Wife Team Draw on Personal History in Leading ROR Parenting Class Assisted by his wife, Sebrina, Michael Jones is the lead pastor of Grace Connection Church in Independence, Missouri, and runs Render’s Hope Community Development Corp, a nonprofit based at the church that helps at-risk youth. The blended couple has eight children and…

Saying Goodbye Can Be Toughest Part of River of Refuge Program No matter how daunting it can be for parents to enter the River of Refuge program, it can be even scarier to exit: Graduates must apply the principles they have learned without the support of the staff and other families living here. The time…

Bike Shed Purchase Just One Example of Lenexa Couple’s Service to River of Refuge The kids’ bikes River of Refuge has for its families are no longer easy prey for thieves. Lenexa, Kansas, residents Ed and Carol Pasley made sure of that by buying a lockable metal shed and enlisting a volunteer assembly team from…

Seven Days in Africa: ROR Case Manager Takes Mission Trip to Uganda The East African nation of Uganda covers about 93,000 square miles and has approximately 46 million people. It’s also a country where approximately 82% of households identify as Christian, and Uganda has tugged at Dianna Poston’s spirituality for years. Poston is River of…