newsletter

‘It Was Life-Saving’: ROR Program Makes Homemaker Dream a Reality for Mom of 7 Savannah Swenson grew up in gated communities in California and Texas, the daughter of a father who earned a good living in the auto business, moving the family to the Kansas City area to become an executive with a high-end dealership.…

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…

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…

‘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…

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…

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…

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…

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…