With $40 from his own pocket, Pastor Melvin Keena paid rent at 201 South Broadway in Poplar Bluff for what would later become the United Gospel Rescue Mission.
Adjusted for inflation 50 years later, that $40 to start the Rescue Mission would be roughly $290 today. It takes about $450,000 in donations each year to keep the Mission going.
"The facilities they have now, if you would have told me back in 1968 at that first meeting that it would turn into something like this, I would have thought you were out of your mind," said George Howell, who was a part of the initial planning stages of the Mission, in a story we published this summer.
Last year, Rev. Gregory Kirk said, the Rescue Mission fed over 40,000 free hot, nutritious meals. On Thanksgiving alone there were 1,344 people served meals prepared by the Mission. It also does utility deposits, provides free clothing and household items to those in need every month.
This past week following Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday, there was Giving Tuesday. It was created in 2012 as the start of the charitable season as a reminder of the true spirit of Christmas.
Along with national organizations, our local groups are more than worth of such a gift.
The Rescue Mission has over 200 men a year in its residential treatment program, Kirk said.
Recycling Grace Women's Center is an addiction ministry and is a safe place for women seeking recovery. This Christian-based program ministers to the spiritual, emotional, and physical needs of women. The center provides a safe environment for women to develop the life skills necessary to live successful lives. RGWC offers a residential program as well as weekly classes.
Anyone that has ever needed, or know someone who has needed a treatment program knows its value. Helping someone turn a life around has no price tag. Having a program like the Rescue Mission, Recycling Grace or Crossroads Ministries is priceless, but providing that service has its price. In many cases, the community will pay one way or another -- donations to help people or taxpayer dollars to incarcerate them.
Also celebrating an anniversary this year, the United Cancer Assistance Network (UCAN) was formed by a group of volunteers in 1998 to assist cancer patients in Butler, Wayne, Ripley and Stoddard counties. That help could be in the form of groceries or gas, transportation to and from treatment, housing assistance, wigs and food supplements.
UCAN gets no grant funding, said director Melody Chailland, meaning the only money the group can give is what it raises through donations and fundraisers.
Haven House has been a shelter for battered and abused women and their children since 1985.
The shelter's mission is to end rape and abuse in Southeast Missouri through shelter, support, advocacy and education, said director Mary Ann Allen. The program has grown from providing shelter to offering support groups, outreach, batterers' intervention and court advocacy.
Allen said last year the Haven House staff answered 1,300 hotline calls, sheltered 240 women and children and served 2,200 meals to those left homeless. The shelter's court advocacy program assisted 975 people receiving services in the court system. Haven House is available 24 hours a day to help anyone being affected by domestic or sexual violence, Allen said.
Northside Nutrition Center has been feeding older and home-bound citizens for decades. The present location in the Twin Towers on Hazel St. is the center's third location. Director Tammy Kassinger strives to feed anyone who is hungry, including veterans and disabled individuals, serving over 100,000 meals a year.
Noon meals are served Monday through Friday at the Twin Towers. Kassinger and her staff also prepare holiday meals and meals for bad-weather days, but these cost. For Kassinger and her staff to provide special meals it takes donations.
Hunger takes no holidays and a meal can be the gift that makes a difference. Every dollar donated to the Bread Shed helps provide seven meals to families in need, the group said. The Bread Shed serves Butler, Carter and Ripley counties.
"Breaking Bread" Sunday Community Meals need host groups or churches to help with the meal with an attendance averaging 150 people each Sunday. Individuals and groups are also needed for Saturday food/clothing distributions in Poplar Bluff, Doniphan and Ellsinore, along with the ABC program. "A Better Childhood" distributes food for children and families within Poplar Bluff Schools.
Child Concern Center of Poplar Bluff has been providing for the needs of children for 42 years.
The center operates a store at 601 Poplar St. and proceeds from the store are used to create food packages once a month for clients, provides many families with diapers and it provides two sets of clothing to each child who needs it.
Child Concern is always looking for more volunteers and more donations of merchandise, director Caleb Elkins said, adding, "the more help we get in running this program, the more help we can give."
That goes for many other organizations in our community including churches, museums, foundations and service clubs -- too many to mention all at once and all the good they do.
They all do their part to make our community a special, caring place all year long. We encourage you to help them.
-- Daily American Republic