River of Refuge newsletter, October 2024

Windows, Caulk, Elbow Grease Benefit River of Refuge Chickens With winter around the corner, the River of Refuge ladies are moving up. River of Refuge was happy to receive five donated hens in the summer, but the coup that came with them is drafty. The bump on Executive Director Pam Seymour’s forehead also illustrates the…

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River of Refuge newsletter, September 2024

Hunter Shoptaw displays the family crest he has tattooed on his right shoulder

River of Refuge Volunteer Installs Dozens of Security Cameras Around Campus Set back from Raytown Road, River of Refuge’s building and grounds are tempting targets for illicit behavior. Improved exterior lighting is one way River of Refuge has deterred squatters, burglars, and vandals. And thanks to Hunter Shoptaw, one of its most dedicated volunteers, River…

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River of Refuge newsletter, August 2024

An ungainly mix of wires would be replaced with a smaller computerized control panel with federal grant funds it is pursuing through the Renew America’s Nonprofits program

‘This is not an opportunity that happens every day’ Federal Grant Would Fund Energy Upgrades at River of Refuge Imagine opening your electric bill and finding that it was about 140% higher than the monthly average you had paid the previous year and was two-thirds higher than the same month a year ago. River of…

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River of Refuge newsletter, July 2024

Raytown Summer Meal Program Benefits River of Refuge Families School meals are lifelines for low-income families, but the need remains when classes dismiss for the summer. About two dozen volunteers work to fill that gap among families in the Raytown school district, including those living at River of Refuge, through a drive-up program they operate…

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River of Refuge newsletter, June 2024

Graduation Ceremony Celebrates Mom and Young Son The booming voice came from a table in the River of Refuge multipurpose room, where residents and their children had gathered one evening last month. “Ga-bby,” bellowed Walter Griffin as he cheered the guests of honor: Gabby Sola and her 3-year-old son Carson. Sola completed the River of…

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River of Refuge newsletter, May 2024

Caitlyn Cornell listens to a participant during the May 6 2024 session of Teen Talk

Social Worker Making Strides With River of Refuge Teens Getting a teen to talk about their feelings is difficult enough, and it can be especially challenging for River of Refuge families as they battle the trauma of homelessness. That’s where Caitlyn Cornell has been such an important new resource by providing mental health services to…

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River of Refuge newsletter, April 2024

Marian Hogins organizes client paperwork as a volunteer at River of Refuge utilizing the skills she developed during a career in healthcare administration

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…

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River of Refuge newsletter, March 2024

Course Teaches River of Refuge Teens About Addiction Addiction is something that many of the children living at River of Refuge experience, whether it’s within their own family or among peers. To help these young residents navigate that difficult issue, River of Refuge introduced a seven-session course during its Monday evening Teen Talk program. The…

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River of Refuge newsletter, February 2024

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…

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River of Refuge newsletter, January 2024

Samuel Payton lived at River of Refuge with three of his children for a little more than a year beginning in August 2020

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…

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