River of Refuge newsletter, May 2025

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 their fellow worshippers at Country Club Christian Church.

Country Club Christian, at 6101 Ward Parkway in Kansas City, Missouri, is a stalwart supporter of River of Refuge, and the Pasleys are among our most ardent volunteers.

Ed, 79, and Carol, 81, restock the River of Refuge pantry every two to three weeks with everything from diapers and breakfast food to toilet paper. They have also recruited church members to organize the new teaching kitchen and assist with the community garden.

The Pasleys coordinate the church’s Metro Missions Ministry, and River of Refuge is one of the five nonprofits the ministry serves.

Ed is retired from a career in industrial sales and from a second career working at his son’s packaging business. Carol previously worked in retail and as a school secretary.

The couple volunteers about 15 hours a week at various nonprofits.

Causes close to their heart include foster children, refugees, and hunger. KC Shepherd’s Center honored the couple’s volunteerism in 2022 as part of its 70 over 70 recognition event.

“We really don’t see (volunteering) as an option,” Ed said. “This is an obligation to do this. We’ve led a pretty blessed life, and we really need to be trying to do what we can to help others get to a good point in their life.”

Carol preferred to let Ed do the talking for the couple.

She lets her work speak for itself, but Ed said, “Any time there’s an opportunity to help out with kids, I see her eyes light up.”

River of Refuge is one of the best-run nonprofits Ed has seen. The staff gets a lot done with limited resources.

He and Carol also appreciate the mission.

“They do a great job of giving folks … the tools they need to be successful, but then they also require people to do the hard work on their own to be sure that they can maintain that success,” Ed said. “There’s nothing better than seeing people move from living in a car to living in a house and having a good life.”

 

 

River of Refuge Photos Capture Busy Start to 2025

Is it really almost June? The first several months of the year have flown by, and our cameras have caught the action in the accompanying photos below.

First off, our spring graduation on March 31 celebrated the success of five families. All the families started with us last year and completed the program between August and March.

The average stay ranged from four to nine months. All the families had found housing and erased their debt when they moved into the community.

We will continue to check in with them every six months. They also have access to everything they had while working the program, other than housing, for the next two years.

Then, in April, we celebrated Easter with our families.

Finally, on May 3, we hosted the first of the monthly car shows we are scheduled to have with Unnaturally Aspirated Events, which helps raise money for Breathe Easy International, a nonprofit that helps patients with chronic respiratory conditions.

The events and the nonprofit are the work of the CEO of AWOLsystems, a multimedia design firm who is a tenant in our building.

We extend a big thank you to all the partners in the event:

• R & L Automotive – Your local repair shop since 2017
• Zohr Mobile Tire Shop – #GetZohr
• NewIce – Mobile dry ice cleaning and restoration
• Dunkin’ on 350 Highway – UA Runs on Dunkin’
• Doughboys Donuts KC – The best donuts in KC
• Raytown Fire Protection District – Helping those in need

 

FROM THE DIRECTOR

It might be a quirk of the calendar that Mental Health Awareness month, in May, comes on the heels of Adopt-a-Pet Month in April. Yet their proximity makes a lot of sense because the two topics often go hand in hand.

They certainly do for me. I have three dogs and a cat at home — all rescues — and care for ten hens at River of Refuge. They are my therapy.

I have always been a pet lover. If I had the time, the money, and the land, I would rescue all animals that people have failed. Fortunately, Kansas City’s rules on the number of pets allowed within city limits put guardrails on my nurturing instincts.

Some of the families entering our program also have pets. However, we require the families to find foster homes for the pets while they are with us. We do this because we cannot absorb the possible liability of unruly pets nor the destruction that sometimes comes with pets being left inside while families are working.

We know separating from pets is not easy, but it’s just for a short time, usually four to six months. We allow families to build in pet expenses to their household budget, and they can certainly visit their furry friends as much as they want off-site.

Dianna Poston, Senior Case Manager, came up with an idea a few years ago. What if we had a pet adoption each April for the kids at River of Refuge with their families? And so, it began …

She collects new and gently used stuffed animals and sets up an “adoption” station on the last day of the month. As shown in the accompanying photos, children choose one or two animals, give each a name, and receive adoption certificates to show they are the rightful “owners” of the pet.

Our families have experienced a lot of trauma, so we do everything we can to address the scars to help them succeed in the program and beyond.

We are very fortunate to have a grant from the Children’s Services Fund of Jackson County that allows us to provide therapy for each child and family at no charge.

Our provider, Authentic Life, has an office in our building. That allows for flexible scheduling and means a family without transportation no longer has the challenge of getting to a much-needed therapy session.

In addition to individual and family therapy, we host a “Teen Talk” group session on Monday evenings for the older children living at River of Refuge.

Meanwhile, all parents entering the program participate in the 12-week “Parenting 101” course taught by an Authentic Life therapist. This class focuses on brain development in children, their behaviors, and how to respond to each.

Don’t forget that if you or someone you know needs mental health assistance, call 9-8-8.

Until Next Time,
Pamela Seymour, Executive Director