Christmas Distribution Touches More Than 525 Metro Families
December 22, 2009
“This has become one of our most popular volunteer activities of the entire year.”—Daniel J. Doty
While reindeer on their rooftops may be more dramatic, the children of low-income and working-poor families will be just as excited when they see vehicles pull up in front of their homes, loaded with brightly wrapped packages from City Union Mission.
The gifts were selected by needy families and individuals who applied to “shop” at the Mission’s Christmas Store between November 30 and December 16 for toys, clothing, household items and other goods that had been donated by Mission friends and generous partners in the community. The presents were then wrapped by volunteers who will also take part in delivering them on December 24, just in time for Christmas.
“This has become one of our most popular volunteer activities of the entire year,” explained the Rev. Daniel J. Doty, City Union Mission’s executive director. “We encourage our Christmas distribution volunteers to make the gift deliveries as personal as possible—as if they were visiting with a neighbor across the street or around the corner. The volunteers offer Christmas blessings and words of encouragement to the families and even pray with them.” Doty says the volunteers feel good about the opportunity to meet the people the Mission assists, and often the actual donors of the items make the deliveries themselves.
Scores of volunteers—compassionate individuals along with church groups and members of other organizations—will fill over 100 cars, trucks, vans and busses with thousands of gifts
and make deliveries between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Christmas Eve. The distribution covers the entire Kansas City metro area and outlying communities as far away as Springhill, Kansas. In all, the lives of more than 490 families will be touched by this loving outreach.
“Once again, Mission friends and supporters have allowed us to make Christmas a time of joy and celebration for our neighbors in need—and especially their children—and we’re truly grateful,” Doty said.
City Union Mission is an evangelical Christian ministry committed to sharing the gospel and meeting the spiritual, physical and emotional needs of men, women and children who are poor or homeless. The Mission has been restoring hope to Kansas City's poor and homeless for over 82 years. Last year, City Union Mission provided almost 292,000 meals for the hungry and over 127,000 beds for the weary.
