River of Refuge newsletter, December 2025
Bring on the Scissors and Tape: River of Refuge Parents Ready Kids’ Christmas Presents
Books and gaming consoles were among the presents Brandon Crowley was wrapping for his two boys: Ezra, 5, and Brandon Isaiah, 8
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 weeks before Christmas, when River of Refuge parents gather to wrap presents that donors have purchased for their children. This year’s wrapping party took place on Dec. 8.
Each family makes a shopping list for donors that includes three wants and three needs for each of their children.
For Stephanie Pritchett, that meant making a list for her 11-year-old daughter Sophiella.
They have been at River of Refuge since July, and in chipping away at $6,000 in debt, Pritchett expects to be ready to move out by the end of January.
She has raised her credit score from 540 to 680, and is thankful that bad credit won’t again be a black mark in trying to rent a place to stay.
A former Kansas City, Missouri, firefighter, Pritchett now teaches EMT classes to juniors and seniors in the Kansas City school district.
“I was just kind of sitting here — I am pretty straightfaced about it — but I was like, ‘You know, this is probably the happiest I have been in a while,’ just being able to wrap her something,” Pritchett said.
“Kind of like the hard part of being here is that I knew I couldn’t have the “quote unquote” Christmas that I wanted for her and get things, and honestly, this is plenty, and I’m just super grateful for the kindness of whoever was willing to reach out and make our Christmas.”
Sophiella’s gifts included an L.O.L. Surprise fashion doll and a Make it Mini gummy bear machine.
“This is probably the happiest I have been in a while,” Stephanie Pritchett said while wrapping presents for her 11-year-old daughter, Sophiella.
Sitting behind Pritchett was Jordan Goodin, who was wrapping presents for 3-year-old Olivia and 1-year-old Carter. She and her husband, Michael, were on the cusp of finishing the program after being at River of Refuge for seven months.
They had been so successful in the program that they were about to move out into a three-bedroom, two-bathroom mobile home they purchased in the Northland.
Goodin, who works in the accounting department at Commerce Bank, was excited they would be living in the attendance area of some excellent schools in the North Kansas City school district.
Olivia is the couple’s diva child, so she was going to get some dress-up clothes. Carter was getting a dinosaur puzzle, some Bluey toys, and a semi-truck car hauler. Both kids got some clothes and a pair of light-up shoes.
“Oh, and diapers,” Goodin laughed. “Diapers are always good.”
Goodin barely had words to describe the generosity of donors. The amount of presents was more than she could have imagined and she appreciated the thought put into fulfilling her wish list.
“It’s amazing,” she said. “It’s something that we always wanted to do for others, but obviously we’re not in a situation we can, and being on the receiving end — it just feels really good. It gives me hope that future generations are going to do this for other people.”
As the only guy at the gathering, Brandon Crowley was getting a welcome assist from ROR Administrative Assistant Cathy DeCamp.
Crowley had moved in about two weeks prior.
He is working to reunite with his two boys, Ezra, 5, and Brandon Isaiah, 8, and to eliminate about $3,500 in debt. He works as a training specialist for Samsung.
The gifts for his boys included hand-held gaming consoles, Legos, books, clothes, and shoes.
Having slept in his car for four months, Crowley had resolved to dig deep and fix his problems on his own. But on that very day he got his acceptance call from River of Refuge.
His appreciation for the assistance he is receiving this holiday season extended beyond the donors who had provided the gifts to the support he has received from the staff.
Even as he moved in he had a plan for the future.
“You know what I can’t wait for?” he asked DeCamp.
‘What’s that?” she replied.
“I said, ‘I can’t wait until I’m a donor, so we come full circle,’” Crowley said. “We’ll work it up.”
River of Refuge Hosts Annual Thanksgiving Meal
River of Refuge families and staff gathered for a holiday meal the evening of Dec. 15. Special guests provided a little sugar (Santa) and spice (Grinch).
FROM THE DIRECTOR
River of Refuge is beyond appreciative of Electrical Corporation of America for their incredible kindness and generosity. Because of them, our kiddos will experience joyful holidays filled with toys that brighten their days, and our community room and playground have been transformed into even better spaces for learning, playing, and growing.
Counting Our Blessings This Holiday Season
As we reflect on this season of giving, I’m reminded of my dear mother, who passed away nearly 13 years ago. She was a woman of unwavering faith, and whenever you asked how she was doing, her response was always the same: “I’m blessed.” No matter the challenges, she believed blessings were everywhere — and that spirit continues to inspire us today.
It would have been easy for Mom to find blessings in our experiences with Giving Tuesday, which this year fell on Dec. 2. Over the past few weeks:
- Our food pantry has been fully stocked
- Every family we serve was adopted for Christmas
- Electrical Corporation of America (ECA) discovered our organization and provided an incredible donation of toys
You might wonder — how does this happen during a time when food prices are high and pantries everywhere are struggling? The answer: Hy-Vee in Raytown.
Thanks to Hy-Vee’s generosity, we were able to greet customers from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Giving Tuesday, sharing our mission and asking for help. Each year, we receive eight or nine baskets of food during this event — but the blessings go far beyond groceries. We meet amazing people who want to make a difference.
Last year, we met Sheila from KBC Pantry and a staff member from ECA.
Since then, KBC has been sharing surplus perishable food with us — something we rarely had before. (See our story about them in the September newsletter.)
And ECA?
They called to say they had extra toys for our kids. This year, they went even further, choosing us as the recipient of all their holiday food and toy drive donations. Wow! We are humbled and deeply grateful.
Last week, we celebrated with our families at our holiday party.
Santa was there to hear wishes and hand out handmade stockings filled with goodies — thanks to Messiah Church of the Brethren, which has blessed us with these stockings for three years now.
Raytown Mayor Mike McDonough once again played Santa, and Tiffany Buckley Photography captured those magical moments. We shared a meal, laughter, and reflections on what we’re most thankful for.
From all of us, we wish you a joyful holiday season and a Happy New Year. Thank you for being part of our mission. We’ll “see” you in 2026!
Until Next Time,
Pamela Seymour, Executive Director