August 26, 2025 • 39 mins
When a child shows up ready for the first day of school, the impact lasts far beyond the classroom. In this episode of Our Community, Our Mission, we sit down with Hope Bency, Distribution Center Administrative Assistant, to talk about TRM’s recent Back-to-School event that equipped over 300 students with backpacks, clothing, and essential supplies. Behind the numbers are powerful stories: parents moved to tears by unexpected generosity, children eager to win prizes for their siblings, and volunteers witnessing the ripple effect of their time and care.
We’re also joined by John Roberts, Deputy Director of Community Needs & Services, who shares how programs like the “Completion of Program” furnish homes for families starting fresh—not only with necessities but with items that bring joy and dignity. Together, Hope and John pull back the curtain on what it takes to manage inventory, organize volunteers, and partner with donors to ensure no one is turned away. Their stories connect the practical work of distribution with TRM’s greater mission of showing people they matter—reminding us that this is what it looks like to love in the gap.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Gracious Heavenly Father, we're just so thankful
for your blessings and yourprovisions.
Lord, thank you for thisbeautiful day and Lord, just
pray your blessing over thistime, this podcast and our
listeners.
And Lord, we just thank you andpraise your name.
Amen.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
Hello everybody, thank you for joining us for our
community, our mission, apodcast of the Topeka Rescue
Mission here on Tuesday, a coolTuesday in August, the 26th of
2025.
I'm Barry Fieker, your hosttoday, with Marian Crable, who's
kind of a co-host here.
Am I?
Yeah, you kind of, are you heara lot?
Speaker 3 (00:34):
I am here a lot.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
But Joan Roberts is also here today.
He's kind of a co-host.
He's been here a lot latelybecause of school and other
things, things going on, yeah,so, guys, thanks for being here.
Speaker 3 (00:45):
It is very nice out there.
Happy, it is beautiful.
It was a little bit hard tocome to work, why?
Speaker 2 (00:50):
Because it's beautiful out there.
Don't you love coming to workwhen it's beautiful out there?
Speaker 3 (00:57):
Sure, I do.
I always love coming to work.
Well, we're glad you came towork today.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
This has never worked .
You've never worked here.
Speaker 3 (01:03):
No, not a day in my life, not here at all.
Speaker 2 (01:06):
So, anyway, we want to talk about our back to school
.
We've been talking about itcoming.
It's happened, yes.
We want to recap that today.
We want to recap a couple otherthings.
One, josh, there's some otherevent coming, yeah, and so
you've been talking about it andyou're excited about it.
It's the third annual.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
Night of Praise.
Everything is ready to go rightnow.
Right yeah, totally.
Everything's ready to go.
We're not doing anything rightnow.
This is Josh Turley.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
He's Research and Development Department, also
Night of Praise and a lot ofother things here at Topeka
Rescue Mission.
He's the guy over here that cancut us off if we get to go in
too long.
Absolutely so anyway.
Speaker 1 (01:40):
Josh talk about Night of Praise.
Yeah, so Night of Praise, thirdannual.
I've been doing this threeyears now, which is kind of hard
to believe, but it's going tobe Friday, september 12th.
Doors open at 6.
Event starts at 6.30.
Yeah, it's just always such agreat night to gather together
kind of praise God for all thathe's doing as one unified church
and then really just tell thestories of what God's doing here
(02:07):
at TRM and ask people to helpus stand in the gap for people
so pretty well attended uh event.
Speaker 2 (02:09):
It has been the last two years.
Speaker 1 (02:10):
Yeah, last year we had 400, and so we're just kind
of hoping to keep going up fromthere.
So it's at fellowship Bible yes.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
So people can get there at six kicking it off with
music.
And I understand there's goingto be a kind of a mix up this
year of the way that the musicgroups are going to do things.
It's not like this group'sgoing to do it and then another
group they're going to mix thegroups together, yeah.
Speaker 1 (02:27):
So it's going to be members from different churches.
It's not going to be like thisband is from fellowship or this
band is from you know, GracePoint.
It's members from kind of alldifferent churches, and so we've
got kind of a contemporaryChristian band.
That's going to be one of them,and then we've got a gospel
band.
So yeah, we're I don't know,it's going to be a great night.
It's kind of like play thattune right.
Speaker 2 (02:46):
Yeah, you all come together.
Mary, you remember play thattune.
Speaker 3 (02:49):
I do remember play that tune.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
Have you ever heard of that?
Play that tune for young onesin here.
I think I've heard of it.
You know where you have to,that's right.
So, anyway, probably a littlemore organized than that.
Speaker 3 (03:02):
Yeah, so it's going to be good.
I think it's going to be.
It will be more organized thanthat.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
Yeah, so bring a non-perishable food item if you
can.
Yeah, free entry.
Speaker 1 (03:12):
No ticket purchases.
Come and please bring anon-perishable food item to help
us.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
People can donate otherwise financially For items
yes.
Speaker 3 (03:20):
They're not limited to only bringing one.
Okay, If they would like tobring five or six or ten, that
would be okay too.
How about that?
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (03:28):
We'll take all of it.
Speaker 2 (03:30):
We won't turn anything away and there will be
a way people can financiallycontribute.
Absolutely, they can bring acheckbook or they can do
probably a QR code that you cangive online.
Speaker 1 (03:35):
We'll have online giving all the different options
.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
Great, Well, it sounds good.
Well, Miriam, before we jumpinto this, and John, you join us
.
We have Hope Bency with us heretoday.
She's with the DistributionServices at Topeka Rescue
Mission.
She's an administrativeassistant.
Welcome to your first podcast.
Speaker 4 (03:50):
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (03:51):
Okay, I want to involve all of you in this,
because Research and DevelopmentDepartment works really hard on
coming up with these differentimportant things that celebrate
the day that we are talking.
Speaker 1 (04:00):
I'm not going to lie, I was kind of nervous you were
were introducing them and wewere going to skip those.
Speaker 3 (04:03):
So I'm glad you're going to skip them.
I thought I saw a tear kind ofstarting.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
He started looking really depressed.
He did Because we have skippedthem before we have.
Speaker 3 (04:13):
And it's not gone well, after it.
Speaker 2 (04:15):
No, he comes to my office.
Speaker 3 (04:17):
He has to rock in the rocker.
Speaker 2 (04:26):
I thought you were at least going to say I was mad
Like you know.
No, you never get mad, Josh,you just get sad when we don't
do it.
But we're not going to make yousad today because we're going
to talk about three main thingsthat you came up with with your
extensive research since lastweek about what's important
about August 26th, and I agreewith this one.
This first one is reallyimportant to a lot of us.
It is it's called National DogDay.
Speaker 1 (04:44):
National really important to a lot of us it is.
It's called National Dog.
Speaker 3 (04:48):
Day National Dog Day.
Yeah, it's probably one of thebetter ones we've had.
I mean, it's probably one thatwe actually would agree with.
Speaker 2 (04:51):
Yes, especially when you consider some of the others
that you're going to talk abouthere today.
National Dog Day has beenaround with us for a long time.
It's kind of debatable how longit's been on the earth, but
National Dog Day was createdsome time back and established
in 2004.
But our furry friends have beenwith us for a very long time.
For all of you cat lovers sorry, not your day.
So anyway, national Dog Day,and I think some of us have dogs
(05:16):
and we love our dogs.
Speaker 3 (05:17):
Everybody yes, not everybody loves dogs.
I love dogs.
I don't have a dog, but I lovedogs.
That's probably why you lovedogs.
I grew up with dogs.
Speaker 2 (05:24):
I don't have a dog, but I love dogs.
Speaker 3 (05:25):
That's probably why you love dogs.
I grew up with dogs, so you'reyours.
Speaker 2 (05:26):
It's less than from a distance.
Speaker 3 (05:27):
When you work really long hours and you live alone,
having a dog is almost mean yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
True, you know Because then they're alone all
the time.
Speaker 3 (05:35):
Bring your dog with you, yeah no, okay, no, no, all
right.
Speaker 2 (05:40):
Homeless individuals bring their dogs with them.
Speaker 3 (05:42):
They do Okay.
Speaker 2 (05:43):
They do Okay, so anyway, National Dog Day.
It's also another veryimportant day.
Miriam announced this one.
Speaker 3 (05:51):
Which one?
Speaker 2 (05:51):
The second one.
Speaker 3 (05:53):
The second one, the one that really belongs in
summer.
Speaker 2 (05:55):
Yeah, it kind of makes sense, it does.
Speaker 3 (05:56):
Because it's well, okay, but there's a question
around this one, Because whatreally constitutes a popsicle
around this one, because whatreally?
Constitutes a popsicle.
This is national cherrypopsicle day, so when you think
of popsicle.
What does it look like?
Speaker 2 (06:13):
it looks like it's on a stick and it's frozen uh-huh,
exactly it tastes good, itsticks to your tongue and then
you have to have it.
Somebody help you get it off.
Speaker 3 (06:21):
Push up ice stuff.
Yeah, and that's not a popsicle.
A popsicle needs a stick.
Well, I agree, okay.
Speaker 5 (06:27):
I agree.
That's why they call thempopsicle sticks.
Speaker 3 (06:30):
You know what John?
Nothing gets past you.
Speaker 2 (06:40):
So, john, I know this has been around a while, but I
Day Then tomorrow National.
Speaker 4 (06:44):
Grape Popsicle Day.
Speaker 2 (06:46):
And you can go on and on and on, and your parents
will be compelled to just isthat way it worked.
Speaker 5 (06:51):
That's absolutely the way it worked.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
That's the way I would have done it.
Yeah, we didn't have Nationalnothing when I was a kid, so
it's all come since then.
So today, even though it's cool, you can go out and get a
cherry popsicle and knows you'recelebrating today with your dog
.
Okay, all right, dogs lovepopsicles too.
They love everything.
All right.
So when you're having your dogday and you're having your
national popsicle day, then theother national day is national
(07:16):
Way to go, josh, national toiletpaper day.
Speaker 1 (07:18):
And so I asked the question why?
Speaker 2 (07:21):
Why do we have to have a national day for?
Speaker 1 (07:23):
toilet paper.
Well, you know, I think we lookat all the other national days
and this one makes sense to mebecause I appreciate having
toilet paper.
Speaker 2 (07:32):
Did you create this, Josh?
I did not.
Was this out of scarcity?
One time it may have been.
I mean, you remember, duringCOVID times it was hard to find
toilet paper.
Speaker 3 (07:39):
So that's very true it probably started in 2020.
Speaker 1 (07:42):
I was like you know what, I'm thankful for toilet
paper.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
Well, I'll tell you what.
Yeah, I remember those days wewere wondering Lines out Sam's
Club.
We were about a mile longtrying to get one package of
toilet paper and you know what?
Speaker 1 (07:53):
I think that shows the appreciation that was the
first thing that went missing,like that was the first hard
thing to find was like toiletpaper.
Speaker 3 (08:08):
So it's like you know what I have.
To admit it changed my buyinghabits because I never used to
have like this stock.
Yeah, you know, you get onepackage.
It's good, you're gonna go tothe grocery now there's always
three in my house.
That's why we had a shortageexactly no, some people went
much farther than I did oh, yeah, you know, but it kind of
changed my buying patterns.
Speaker 1 (08:24):
Yeah, I remember going to Sam's and being like
they had the signs.
They'd roll out the hugepallets of the toilet paper and
it'd have the signs on them.
Speaker 2 (08:32):
One or two per customer, whatever.
Speaker 1 (08:34):
So I was like no, you can only get so much.
Speaker 2 (08:36):
But I finally got my one.
One time I thought, oh, this isso wonderful.
Speaker 1 (08:39):
We did it.
Speaker 2 (08:41):
Life is worth living again.
I cannot go home empty-handed.
Yeah, so it was a formerdirector of the Topeka Rescue
Mission.
Somebody asked me one timewhat's your biggest concern at
the rescue mission?
I said a Friday night and we'reout of toilet paper.
There's no money in the banksto go buy any, because you've
got a long weekend ahead of you.
Speaker 3 (09:00):
So that would be a problem?
Yes, it would it is veryimportant.
Speaker 2 (09:04):
Yeah, so, john Hope, you coordinate a lot of things
here at Topeka Rescue Commission.
One is the toilet paperdistribution and acquisition.
That's right, right, so we'repretty well stocked and just in
case we have something elsecoming.
Speaker 5 (09:14):
You know we are well stocked in toilet paper.
We have followed Miriam'sbuying habits.
We always make sure that wehave extra, so if you run short,
just call Miriam.
She probably got something foryou or anybody wanting to donate
.
Speaker 2 (09:26):
Yeah, that's good.
Well, that's important at thedistribution services to be able
distribution center to havesupply.
We never know what's going tohappen here, that's right.
So, john, talk about Hope, whatshe does, kind of introduce her
.
We've already mentioned hername and first podcast, and so
talk about what theadministrative assistant does at
Distribution Center.
Speaker 5 (09:46):
Yeah, so Hope.
Responsibilities includekeeping track of all the goings
on at the DC.
So the DC has a lot ofdifferent functions, whether
that be going and picking updonations or going and making
deliveries, helping withcompletion of programs and
making deliveries, helping withcompletion of programs, picking
(10:08):
up donations from stores andbusinesses and warehouses and
doing special events, and then,of course, just coordinating all
of our internal supply needs.
And so that is a lot ofinformation, good grief Hope.
Speaker 1 (10:18):
It's a lot of moving parts, that's a lot of stuff and
keeping everybody in line overthere.
Speaker 5 (10:21):
Let's be honest, yep making sure everybody is coming
in.
But Hope really does awonderful job, taking on, even
so, much more than that.
So she has worked at the DC nowfor several years in different
roles and so really has a goodfeel for the entire operation
and so is able to lend help andprovide guidance to our staff
(10:45):
across the warehouse, and she isreally a rock star, especially
when it comes to these specialevents where there's a lot of
coordination and details andnumbers that we have to get
right and set up.
And so you know, back to schoolis one of those areas where she
jumped in and just reallyhelped take the lead on making
sure that everything was inorder, everything was prepared
(11:07):
and that the whole event ransmoothly.
Speaker 2 (11:08):
So very thankful for her.
That's a pretty good setup fortalking about a lot of different
things.
Hope again, welcome to thepodcast today.
Hope you've been here for anumber of years at Topeka Rescue
Mission.
What brought you to the missionto work here?
Speaker 4 (11:21):
Well, lamanda, our daughters go to school together
and I was looking for a job andshe said we have jobs, and so
she sent me on a bunch ofinterviews and the DC is the one
that fit the best, and so Istarted driving trucks, working
in clothing, doing all sorts ofwhatever needed to be done at
(11:42):
the distribution center, andit's been a good place for me
here.
Speaker 2 (11:47):
Sounds like you do, but it's not everything there.
I mean, it's just like that'skind of how everybody is.
Everybody throws in.
Somebody's going to kind ofcoordinate that.
So had you done anything likewhat you're doing here at Topeka
Rescue Mission before, I'vebeen in ministry before.
Speaker 4 (12:02):
I've worked in a lot of women's ministry.
I've helped coordinate eventsbefore been on ministry boards I
had done homeless ministry kindof in bits and pieces.
We lived in California so wedid some out there with our
chapel and I've done a lot ofchapel ministry with military,
so Maybe nothing quite like this, maybe not driving trucks.
Speaker 2 (12:24):
I was going to say driving trucks before picking up
stuff.
Speaker 4 (12:26):
No, I drove in Japan.
So I figured, if I can drive inJapan, I can drive a truck, wow
.
Speaker 2 (12:32):
Sounds like you've had some wide experiences even
before you came here.
Some people come here.
They've never had an experiencelike this.
Sounds like you've already beendoing a lot of things, so you
needed a job.
You were looking for a job.
You and what is what's?
You needed a job.
You were looking for a job.
You and LaManda got to knoweach other.
What has been something thatyou've learned that you didn't
know about Topeka Rescue Missionbefore you started?
Speaker 4 (12:53):
working, how many things we do here.
I think that's something thateverybody learns, even
volunteers.
Just coming through on a touris.
You don't realize how manyfacets of just Topeka in general
we touch and how many differentways we can help.
It's not just the homelessshelter.
The DC actually does a lot thatdoesn't have to do with the
(13:16):
shelter.
We do a lot for the shelter andsupplying things and making
sure they have what they need.
But we do a lot of our ownseparate distributions for, like
, back to school or Christmas orfood.
We do twice a week and you canget other other things too.
Speaker 2 (13:31):
So when you talk about supporting the kind of
general operation of the missionthe shelters being one,
outreach, those different thingsyou kind of like the the
backbone of being able to dowhat the different shelters do.
We talked about toilet paperhere a little bit ago.
So many things, mary, many evenin your area of supportive
services.
What's the value of thedistribution center for what you
(13:52):
do?
Speaker 3 (13:53):
Oh well, everything I mean and I think about,
particularly like the housingdepartment, right, and the
completion of programs that theydo when that team is able to
get people back into housing,but it's everything.
You know.
Everything that it takes to runa business comes through the
distribution center, for themost part Paper pens.
you know, you think about justoffice supplies you know
(14:16):
everything you know, and they'reour first call when we need
something to see if, number one,it's been donated, because I
think too, you know, we thinkabout donations coming into the
mission and it being kind ofentered into a database because
it's financial.
Well, the mission runs all ofits operations because of
(14:37):
donations of stuff as well.
It's why we get to do thecompletion of program, or it's
why we get to have food todistribute, or it's why we get
to have food to distribute wedon't purchase.
When you consider the volume offood that the distribution
center puts out into thecommunity, if we had to pay for
that financially, millions.
Speaker 2 (14:58):
Millions Actually, really.
Millions of dollars, millionsof dollars of purchasing the
food which saves the communityand the donors, and the rest of
the millions of dollarsAbsolutely which saves?
the community and the donors andthe rest of millions of dollars
Absolutely, and so theopportunity that the folks at
(15:18):
the distribution center have tobuild a relationship with the
donors as well as the peoplethat we serve is amazing.
There's a lot of things asadministrative assistant here.
It sounds like you'recoordinating, juggling.
One of those is the completionof program that was mentioned.
Mary mentioned that.
What does that mean?
People getting ready to moveout of the rescue mission to
their housing?
Mary mentioned the rehousingdepartment that we have here,
(15:40):
which is really amazing A groupof people getting people ready
to go.
So people find a home but theydon't have anything to sleep on,
they don't have anything to siton, they don't have maybe a
refrigerator, whatever.
What does completion program do?
What does it look like?
Speaker 4 (15:54):
Well, it looks like we get information from housing
and then we can call the guestsand set up a time to come and
find out what they need.
Some people have some stuff,maybe in storage.
Some people have absolutelynothing, and so when we know
that and know their situationand know what they're getting
into, we have a great team thatloves to go above and beyond and
(16:17):
just coming up with creativethings to give them.
We get a lot of donations andso we can give people things.
They're basic things that theyneed, but we can also give them
things that are fun and justthings that make it exciting,
because I think starting over itcan be very scary and um, but
we want to make it easier forthem because, um, it's hard just
(16:39):
to start over and have nothing,and so that's why all the
donations that come in whetherit's from the donors that come
to the door or like the Walmartdistribution center, that's
where all of that goes to is topeople that are really in need
and starting over and talk withthem about what they need, and
then you go beyond, uh, if youcan.
Speaker 2 (17:10):
What kind of reaction do you get?
Speaker 4 (17:12):
they're very grateful .
One time we had we did acompletion but we had just
gotten a delivery from, or apickup from, walmart
distribution center and we had alot of kids toys and like swing
sets and these people weregetting into a house and so we
were able to really bless themand and I mean, the mom was in
tears because they neverimagined being able to have all
that stuff.
You know, most people wouldn'tbe able to afford purchasing it,
(17:34):
let alone just having it givento them and delivered to their
house.
So that's really fun.
You get to kind of play SantaClaus and just show up and bless
people.
Speaker 2 (17:45):
I think some people just think, okay, they're coming
out of the rescue mission, theygot an apartment now or
whatever, and they're good to go.
Well, you might be good to gowith a roof over your head, but
if you got nothing to sleep on,you have no food to eat, you
don't have any toilet paper, youdon't have any of those
particular things.
It can be just a little bitlonely and can make you feel
like I made a bad decision toleave in the mission.
(18:07):
So, part of that stabilizationhelping people to have the basic
things to stabilize and then,yeah, I've seen some of those
faces and some of those tearsand it probably goes both ways
the people who are helping alsosharing the tears as well, john,
over community services and thethings that you do as a deputy
(18:30):
director here and what Hope doeshere.
It's not just one event, it'sseveral.
One is Christmas, which we'llbe talking about really soon.
Are you planning, alreadyplanning?
Speaker 3 (18:43):
Yeah, it's almost September, that's right, but
we'll wait until after CherryPopsicle Day to get into
Christmas.
It's almost September.
Speaker 5 (18:45):
That's right, but we'll wait till after Cherry
Popsicle.
Speaker 2 (18:49):
Day, that's tomorrow.
Speaker 3 (18:49):
So it's not to ruin Cherry Popsicle Day.
Speaker 2 (18:52):
That's right.
So and then we then we mostrecently be talking about the
big annual back to school.
So talk about that, you andHope, kind of talking back and
forth.
I mean, we've talked about howpeople can help, the value of it
, but what happened?
What happened this year?
It's done.
Well, we say it's done, themajor part of it's done.
(19:12):
We still have kids coming in tothe rescue mission that don't
have anything and they're goingto get enrolled in school, or
they are in school and don'thave the basic things.
Speaker 5 (19:28):
So talk about what happened with the big event and
then what we do going forward.
Yeah, we had a wonderful eventthis year where we were able to
bless several hundred students,so we ended up there were 319
students who came through thedoor and got fully equipped with
backpacks and paper and pensand pencils and highlighter
pencil boxes all the things thatyou could need.
We had bags set aside forelementary and for secondary so
(19:48):
that it would be appropriate,based on the age of the student,
and we also had some wonderfulvolunteers who helped set up a
clothing area where we were ablejust to put out clothing and
that had been donated to us.
And so then families, as theycame through and they got their
school supplies, they could alsogo and get some outfits for
(20:11):
school and get help with that.
You know new socks, underwear,pants, shirts, coats.
Again, it's summertime, but it'sstill good to be thinking about
getting coats and gettingjackets and prepared for the
fall and winter season.
So it was just a wonderful day.
We were also blessed for theLions Club to partner with us,
(20:32):
so they gave out free visionscreenings to folks, and so I
know that there were some peoplethat they were able to help.
And just, you know sometimesyounger children who they were
able to kind of give a referralthen to go and maybe look at
getting glasses or go and see aneye doctor and parents said, oh
(20:53):
, I didn't know that they werehaving this trouble seeing and
you know a younger child, fouror five years old, they might
not know to say, because that'sjust how they're used to it,
because that's just how they'reused to it, and so, seeing all
of those things come together,we had so much effort coming
from our staff and getting thisset up.
(21:14):
We had so much just faithfulparticipation from our donors of
donating school supplies.
Sometimes those were financialgifts, other times people were
bringing things to our door andpeople also utilized our Amazon
wish list and just sent thingsdirectly to us, and so we were
well stocked to be able to makesure that everybody who came in
(21:36):
was able to be blessed, and ateam of volunteers running and
interacting with folks too.
Just a wonderful thing to seeall of these different aspects
people from all over the citycoming together and being a
community and helping each otherout making sure these students
are going to be prepared.
Speaker 2 (21:56):
It's like many moving parts to it, hope.
Do I understand that this isunder your kind of
organizational event?
Is this?
Are you the driver on this?
Speaker 4 (22:07):
It's a group effort.
Speaker 2 (22:13):
It takes a lot of people.
That's a good leader that saysthat so.
But somebody's got to make sureeverything lines up.
You have a volunteer department.
Susie talks to volunteers, ofcourse, and then refers them to
you or somebody there, and thencontacting all of the folks, the
families and so forth.
So talk a little bit about Imean John's kind of unpacked the
30,000-foot view of this.
Talk about some of the nuts andbolts.
What does it take to makesomething like that happen?
Speaker 4 (22:36):
A lot of coordinating , just making sure we have what
we need, to know what we need,and just planning well in
advance.
When people are leaving schoolis when we start planning for
going back to school, and so westart thinking about what we
have.
Sometimes we have stuff that'sbeen left over from last year or
stuff that's been donatedthroughout the year, and so
(22:57):
we'll start kind of takinginventory and keeping track of
things that are coming in.
That's how the Amazon list cameabout.
We were able to put just somethings that we knew we needed
already on the Amazon wish list,and our donors were very
generous this year and it helpedout a lot just to be able to
get bulk items like pins.
(23:17):
Instead of somebody buying apackage of 10 pins at Walmart,
we would get a package of 200.
And that really helped us to getstarted well and to not have to
go and buy as much.
So it was a big blessing tojust every day see that stuff
coming in.
Speaker 2 (23:34):
So you've got an inventory that you have got to
kind of keep track of.
You've got things that arecoming in in bulk, things that
aren't even here yet.
How do you balance that out?
Because I know we've had theseconversations about do you go
out and purchase it?
Do you wait for it to show up?
How do you pray, when do youtrust, when do you go do
something different?
All those kinds of things.
So you're kind of like, uh,right on the front line of all
(23:56):
that.
So how, what's that pressure?
Like to know that here theycome.
We don't have enough backpacks.
I know that was one of thethings here a couple weeks ago
we were talking about we needmore backpacks.
How do you navigate throughthat, knowing that people are
going to come to you Hope andsay, hey, we need this and this
and this.
How are you?
Speaker 4 (24:16):
going to get it for us.
Well, there are times that wejust keep track of the inventory
, but we also know that thecloser it gets to school it
thing, the more it's somethingpeople are going to think about
more, and that more will come in.
This is probably my third yearof doing this, and more always
comes in, and it comes in aswe're doing the event.
(24:37):
So and this year it was just,you know, a lot of faith we
didn't know how the Amazonwishlist was going to work.
We just kind of put it outthere and things just kept
coming in, and so I felt likethat was a big blessing from the
Lord, just because, you know,we weren't going out and doing a
lot, we were just putting itout there to see what happened,
and so that was a big blessing.
(24:58):
Yeah, and just to know that thedonors will also come in and
donate money as well, so that ifwe do need to go shopping we
can.
So I mean, we know that theLord knows how many people are
coming and how many people thatwe will need to serve, and so it
takes some of the stress awayto know that you know he will
(25:21):
provide.
Speaker 2 (25:22):
Some people will be really freaking out about that
kind of responsibility of, Iguess, all these people coming
and I don't want to say no, soyou do that.
Speaker 4 (25:30):
That's your job.
Speaker 3 (25:30):
That's part of your job.
Speaker 2 (25:32):
Yeah, Miriam, obviously being in the nonprofit
arena for a long time missionfor quite a number of years now.
Do you ever get tired ofhearing about this, the way that
people come together and theway the provision is?
Speaker 3 (25:44):
No, never.
I never get tired and I don'tthink I ever will get tired,
because it's just thisconfirmation that the Lord is
faithful and that we and peopleare faithful to listen to the
Lord Absolutely.
They get prompted and so theyrespond.
But you know what I think toois it's okay that we get a
little bit anxious, because Ithink it shows that we care.
(26:05):
I don't think it means anythingrelated to do we are, we is our
faith faltering?
I don't think.
That's it Not doubt.
Speaker 2 (26:13):
No how do we apply the faith?
Speaker 3 (26:15):
And what is our role in the middle of all of it?
You know, are we doing, youknow it's not.
We've never been asked to bepassive in the midst of faith,
right?
Passive in the midst of faith,right, I mean.
So there's all these thingsthat we're going to continue to
do, and part of that is a littlebit of anxiety, making sure
that we don't want to turnanyone away and that's the
beautiful thing Even though weknow the Lord will provide
(26:36):
exactly what we're supposed tohave and what we're supposed to
give away.
We know that.
Speaker 2 (26:42):
One of the things we don't anticipate is saying to
the 300 plus kids that arecoming One of the things we
don't anticipate is saying tothe 300 plus kids that are
coming sorry, we don't haveanything for you.
That's not an option.
Speaker 3 (26:48):
No, we don't ever want to do that, and neither
does the Lord.
That's right.
Speaker 2 (26:53):
That's right, and neither is a community that
wants to help, so they sometimeswill go above and beyond as
well, right?
So we talked about thecompletion of program hope and
some of the different reactionsthat you get.
What reactions?
Some of the different reactionsthat you get what reactions?
I know that when you'rejuggling all of the things that
you're juggling same thing withyou, john, you don't always get
a chance to get up close and seewhat the value of it is.
(27:15):
But what did you glean from thefamilies, the kids, the parents
, when they were getting themultiplicity of things you were
talking about?
What was the environment like?
Speaker 4 (27:26):
They were very grateful.
You know, most people know howmuch school supplies cost and
how expensive it can be, and wehad a lot of large families come
through and so you startmultiplying that and then, on
top of that, being able todistribute clothing, and you
know, the family can just pickout whatever clothing.
There was no limit, no anything.
They could just take whateverthey needed.
(27:53):
Um and um, and we I mean we hadshoes, we had all sorts of
things and we were able to do araffle this year with some of
the items donated from walmart.
And that was probably my one ofmy favorite parts, because, um,
it was so unexpected forfamilies to be able to, you know
, win something pretty big,whether it's like outdoor
furniture or kids' bikes, or wehad some like kids' cars and all
(28:16):
sorts of fun things that theycould have.
And I think, like I said, thatwas my favorite because that was
unexpected.
And some of the kids were evensigning up for the raffle
unbeknownstst to their parents,and winning things for like
their siblings.
Speaker 2 (28:28):
So talk about how they did it.
A lot of people think you'vegot to buy a ticket to get in a
raffle.
This was not a purchase thing.
How do people sign up?
Speaker 4 (28:35):
They just put their name in a box and then we called
them and, like I said, some andthey could sign up for anything
as many things as they wanted.
Some of these things we havemultiples of.
And we were just really gratefulto be able to bless so many
people.
Like I said, it's just it'sprobably the best part of the
job is being able to give peoplestuff that they're not even
(28:55):
expecting.
I mean, sometimes they come tous with needs but then being
able to go above and beyond thatand just give them things not
just that they need but thatthey could want or not even be
able to dream of really everhaving, was a big blessing.
And just being able to see thekids' faces and that they would
win this, and the parents kindof working hard just to be able
to pick some of the largerthings up, it was kind of a
(29:16):
challenge for them but they didwhat it took to get it.
Speaker 2 (29:19):
One of the most exciting things in a family's
life is getting ready to go backto school.
The kids are excited, thefamilies are excited, but it's
also one of the most anxietyprovoking if you're not sure if
you're ready, if the kid's notready, if you don't have the
supplies.
In this situation, it soundslike you not only reduce the
apprehension, to say the least,but you also made it a fun event
(29:41):
that they will remember.
Going back to school is fun andwe get to be a part of this,
and so if you're a family that'slistening to this maybe a
grandma, grandpa, aunt or uncle,whatever and your family
doesn't struggle, just know thatyou've been a really big part
of helping people not struggleso much.
(30:02):
Josh, I'm thinking of you rightnow in regards to
communications and everythingthat goes out, like the podcast
we're talking about.
How does it feel to hear thatyou put it out there?
You just kind of throw it outthere and people actually are
listening and reading?
Speaker 1 (30:18):
Yeah, no, I think it kind of goes back to talking
about trusting God for thingsand being a good steward of that
, and that part of that isputting the word out Like
obviously people can't help ifthey don't know, and so
obviously there's definitelybeen plenty of times where the
Lord's or you know people bringstuff by and they're like man, I
really felt the Lord laying iton my heart and there was no you
know, specific need put out.
(30:39):
But I consider that part of therole is, like you know, us being
a steward of the news, so tospeak, and like you know what
are the needs, what are thestories, and so I think that's a
big part of it and it's cool tosee, having been here as long
as I have now, it almost gets tothe point where, like well,
yeah, of course, god, providedthat it's like you know, you
kind of start getting a littleless surprised.
(31:01):
It's like well, yeah, but itdoesn't stop the nerves from
from coming around.
Speaker 2 (31:08):
But yeah, it's we can expect God to do a miracle, but
not be presumptuous.
He's going to do it the way wewant it, right, oh yeah.
Speaker 1 (31:14):
And that's the cool thing is, it's always a way you
don't expect, it's always like.
You know the ones that are likeoh yeah, I didn't, I didn't
know, I just felt like God on.
Those are the stories thatyou're like oh, that's cool, I
didn't have any part in that andthat's okay.
Speaker 3 (31:31):
Or those times when it comes in last minute.
Those are the good ones In mymind.
Well, it depends on who you are.
Well, I know, I agree with that.
Speaker 2 (31:38):
Maybe not Hope Benci.
Speaker 5 (31:40):
I like the ones that come early.
Speaker 3 (31:42):
But there's something about when it comes, just the
nick of time that kind of makesyou pause just a little bit.
Speaker 2 (31:49):
Well, there's those unexpected things, when you're
just not sure if it's going tohappen.
And then it does happen in sucha spectacular way, which also
we've talked about, the joy thatis experienced by the kids, by
the families.
What about the volunteers?
What about the donors that youconnected with?
What are you hearing from them?
Speaker 5 (32:06):
Yeah, I think it's a really rewarding process to be
involved in.
I can.
I mean, I know that it is forus as staff to come in and be
able to see it, and so you knowthat day the event just is, you
know, popping in and make it,seeing how it's going, and just
seeing seeing the familieslooking at clothes together, you
(32:26):
know holding up shirts, seeingif it's the right size, and
seeing kids come with their newbackpacks.
Especially, it's always funseeing the little kids when they
get a backpack that has agraphic on it.
They like it's a bluey backpackor Spider-Man, and really
excited about that, just seeingthe joy on their face.
So I know, as staff members,it's really rewarding to just
(32:50):
see it come to fruition and seeall of these material things
right and that, knowing thatsome of them are bought with the
money that comes in or thethings that come in in boxes,
but now seeing it go and begiven to people and and um and
there's, just knowing thatthat's going to be a help, it's
so rewarding and so, um, I wouldjust really encourage people,
(33:14):
um, to come in and be a part ofthat, uh, to, to come in and
volunteer and be able to see itfirsthand.
Um, it's a wonderful experience.
We had a wonderful team ofvolunteers this year.
Um, our volunteer coordinator,susie Pazzi, did such a great
job connecting people withopportunities to help.
And so there were volunteersthroughout the day of helping to
(33:36):
run the sign-in section orhelping to give out the school
supplies or helping tocontinually kind of reorganize
the clothing and the shoes area.
But then we also had so manyvolunteers who helped beforehand
, coming with the setup process,setting up tables, moving
things around, bringingunloading the boxes as the
(33:59):
clothes and all the supplieswere taken from the DC over to
our warehouse, staging them,getting them organized, labeling
things just countless hoursthat people came and did
beforehand and I'm thankful forthose volunteers because they
might not have seen it on theday of but, just knowing that
their faithfulness and comingand giving their time to help
(34:20):
out in that setup process has animpact on the community, on
hundreds of children andfamilies in our community, and
made a difference, you know,even if they didn't see it.
Speaker 2 (34:31):
So it takes all of that so many people not having
to be there the day of, butbeing there ahead of time and
then also kind of puttingeverything away afterwards
because otherwise you got torepurpose the space.
Ok, you had a great event againthis year.
I don't know how many yearsRescue Mission's been doing this
.
It's been a long time.
Speaker 3 (34:48):
Forever, it's forever .
I bet about 14,000.
Speaker 2 (34:50):
About 14,000 years.
Yeah, at least hours.
But so another great event, butagain, it's not a one and done.
In regards to families cominginto the Hope Center Right now
we have a lot of kids staying atHope Center.
We're going to have more cominginto the Hope Center.
Right now we have a lot of kidsstaying at Hope Center.
We're going to have more comingthroughout the year before next
(35:10):
school.
And so Hope, what do you dowhen you hear from Hope Center
We've got a new child that'sgoing into first grade or
whatever?
What is the procedure now forgetting that kid set up?
So when they enter into thatschoolroom or maybe they've been
in it without any supplies howdo you help that kid to feel
right and normal and good?
Speaker 4 (35:31):
Well, we kind of get as much information as we can as
they'll give us about what theylike and what their age is and
what they need.
And then we have a fabuloussupply, lady Becky, who will put
it all together for us and,like I said, she's got what?
16 grandkids, so she prettymuch knows Becky's like me.
(35:54):
She's been around here about14,000 years too, so she knows
this business.
Yep, so she knows and she canpretty much tell you what they
would need.
And she, like I said, she lovesto be generous and thoughtful
and put anything she could thinkof in there for them.
Speaker 2 (36:02):
So there's an ongoing effort to stay on top of this
for their kids.
And so any extra supplies thatcame in, you hold those back for
the rest of the year to be ableto.
Because we don't know how manykids are coming to the Peaker
Rescue Mission, we don't knowhow many.
I mean things change and itcould be kind of status quo,
kind of gradual up and down, andthen there could be some type
(36:24):
of situation occur in ourcommunity where there is just
twice as many, three times,maybe four times, we don't know.
I remember one time, many yearsago, there were 100 children in
the Hope Center at the same time.
There's not hardly enough roomfor the adults to be there,
because there was such a need.
Unfortunately that didn't lastlong before they got rehoused.
But anything can happen.
(36:44):
So being prepared in all ways,whether it's the food, toilet
papers we talked about cherrypopsicles when you got them and
dog food, and on and on, and onand on and on and on, and then
to school, anything, else you'dlike to share with us about this
year's back to school oranything you'd like to say to
(37:06):
people who are listening.
Speaker 4 (37:07):
I would just say thank you so much for getting on
Amazon, getting on those linksand buying stuff.
That was a big blessing and,honestly, kind of a surprise,
because it was the first year wehad really attempted anything
like this or even tried it and,like I said, we were all just
very happy and excited andsurprised whenever things came
in and it made our jobs a loteasier.
Speaker 2 (37:22):
Absolutely.
Speaker 5 (37:23):
Yeah, so thankful for people who were so generous
with their donations, thankfulfor volunteers who gave of their
time, and then thankful alsofor just our you know, the
people who support what we dohere at the Rescue Mission, just
lifting the van up in prayer,because we know that there are
just praying, that it would be afruitful event and those
prayers were answered.
So thankful for that supportand would just encourage folks
(37:52):
to, you know, to come and seefor yourself next year, you know
, and look for that opportunity.
But also for anybody who knowsof a family who's in need, have
them, give us a call.
So we, you know that is whatwe're here for is to help the
people in our community.
Give us a call.
So we, you know that is whatwe're here for is to help the
people in our community.
And so if, if you have someonein need, give us a call.
(38:15):
And even though schools alreadystarted or the events closed,
we're always, you know, lookingfor a way to help.
Speaker 2 (38:18):
Yeah, Not only one and done.
It just goes on Well.
Thank you for all the effortsthat you put into this.
There's great joy that we cansee you guys have a lot of fun
doing it.
It's very meaningful, but it'sa lot of work and for everybody
who participated in this whetheryou gave financially, you gave
materially, you gave of yourtime to help this to be a
successful event and, as we say,it's not a one and done.
(38:41):
It's not the only event.
We have Christmas coming up, anight of praise coming up here
in just a few days, anddifferent things that people can
participate in, let alone everysingle day.
Volunteer needs, giving needs,opportunities for people to
participate in truly a placethat is not just here to help
people with a need but help themto know that they matter and
(39:03):
that their lives can betransformed.
Thank you for listening to OurCommunity, Our Mission.
I think you kind of canidentify today why we call it
Our Community and Our MissionComing together, community,
coming together, around helpingpeople to know that they matter
and to do it in some verypractical ways to help them to
know that God loves them and youlove them too.
Thank you for being a part ofOur Community, Our Mission.
(39:24):
If you would like moreinformation about Topeka Rescue
Mission, you can go totrmonlineorg.
That's trmonlineorg and there'smany things that you can look
at with the Topeka RescueMission.
Hope said didn't know there wasthis much going on.
Well, you can find out a littlebit more by going to that
website.
Also, look at the Facebook andsee what God might call you to
(39:46):
do to be a part of our community, our mission.
Gracious Heavenly Father, we're just so thankful
for your blessings and yourprovisions.
Lord, thank you for thisbeautiful day and Lord, just
pray your blessing over thistime, this podcast and our
listeners.
And Lord, we just thank you andpraise your name.
Amen.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
Hello everybody, thank you for joining us for our
community, our mission, apodcast of the Topeka Rescue
Mission here on Tuesday, a coolTuesday in August, the 26th of
2025.
I'm Barry Fieker, your hosttoday, with Marian Crable, who's
kind of a co-host here.
Am I?
Yeah, you kind of, are you heara lot?
Speaker 3 (00:34):
I am here a lot.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
But Joan Roberts is also here today.
He's kind of a co-host.
He's been here a lot latelybecause of school and other
things, things going on, yeah,so, guys, thanks for being here.
Speaker 3 (00:45):
It is very nice out there.
Happy, it is beautiful.
It was a little bit hard tocome to work, why?
Speaker 2 (00:50):
Because it's beautiful out there.
Don't you love coming to workwhen it's beautiful out there?
Speaker 3 (00:57):
Sure, I do.
I always love coming to work.
Well, we're glad you came towork today.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
This has never worked .
You've never worked here.
Speaker 3 (01:03):
No, not a day in my life, not here at all.
Speaker 2 (01:06):
So, anyway, we want to talk about our back to school
.
We've been talking about itcoming.
It's happened, yes.
We want to recap that today.
We want to recap a couple otherthings.
One, josh, there's some otherevent coming, yeah, and so
you've been talking about it andyou're excited about it.
It's the third annual.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
Night of Praise.
Everything is ready to go rightnow.
Right yeah, totally.
Everything's ready to go.
We're not doing anything rightnow.
This is Josh Turley.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
He's Research and Development Department, also
Night of Praise and a lot ofother things here at Topeka
Rescue Mission.
He's the guy over here that cancut us off if we get to go in
too long.
Absolutely so anyway.
Speaker 1 (01:40):
Josh talk about Night of Praise.
Yeah, so Night of Praise, thirdannual.
I've been doing this threeyears now, which is kind of hard
to believe, but it's going tobe Friday, september 12th.
Doors open at 6.
Event starts at 6.30.
Yeah, it's just always such agreat night to gather together
kind of praise God for all thathe's doing as one unified church
and then really just tell thestories of what God's doing here
(02:07):
at TRM and ask people to helpus stand in the gap for people
so pretty well attended uh event.
Speaker 2 (02:09):
It has been the last two years.
Speaker 1 (02:10):
Yeah, last year we had 400, and so we're just kind
of hoping to keep going up fromthere.
So it's at fellowship Bible yes.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
So people can get there at six kicking it off with
music.
And I understand there's goingto be a kind of a mix up this
year of the way that the musicgroups are going to do things.
It's not like this group'sgoing to do it and then another
group they're going to mix thegroups together, yeah.
Speaker 1 (02:27):
So it's going to be members from different churches.
It's not going to be like thisband is from fellowship or this
band is from you know, GracePoint.
It's members from kind of alldifferent churches, and so we've
got kind of a contemporaryChristian band.
That's going to be one of them,and then we've got a gospel
band.
So yeah, we're I don't know,it's going to be a great night.
It's kind of like play thattune right.
Speaker 2 (02:46):
Yeah, you all come together.
Mary, you remember play thattune.
Speaker 3 (02:49):
I do remember play that tune.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
Have you ever heard of that?
Play that tune for young onesin here.
I think I've heard of it.
You know where you have to,that's right.
So, anyway, probably a littlemore organized than that.
Speaker 3 (03:02):
Yeah, so it's going to be good.
I think it's going to be.
It will be more organized thanthat.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
Yeah, so bring a non-perishable food item if you
can.
Yeah, free entry.
Speaker 1 (03:12):
No ticket purchases.
Come and please bring anon-perishable food item to help
us.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
People can donate otherwise financially For items
yes.
Speaker 3 (03:20):
They're not limited to only bringing one.
Okay, If they would like tobring five or six or ten, that
would be okay too.
How about that?
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (03:28):
We'll take all of it.
Speaker 2 (03:30):
We won't turn anything away and there will be
a way people can financiallycontribute.
Absolutely, they can bring acheckbook or they can do
probably a QR code that you cangive online.
Speaker 1 (03:35):
We'll have online giving all the different options
.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
Great, Well, it sounds good.
Well, Miriam, before we jumpinto this, and John, you join us
.
We have Hope Bency with us heretoday.
She's with the DistributionServices at Topeka Rescue
Mission.
She's an administrativeassistant.
Welcome to your first podcast.
Speaker 4 (03:50):
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (03:51):
Okay, I want to involve all of you in this,
because Research and DevelopmentDepartment works really hard on
coming up with these differentimportant things that celebrate
the day that we are talking.
Speaker 1 (04:00):
I'm not going to lie, I was kind of nervous you were
were introducing them and wewere going to skip those.
Speaker 3 (04:03):
So I'm glad you're going to skip them.
I thought I saw a tear kind ofstarting.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
He started looking really depressed.
He did Because we have skippedthem before we have.
Speaker 3 (04:13):
And it's not gone well, after it.
Speaker 2 (04:15):
No, he comes to my office.
Speaker 3 (04:17):
He has to rock in the rocker.
Speaker 2 (04:26):
I thought you were at least going to say I was mad
Like you know.
No, you never get mad, Josh,you just get sad when we don't
do it.
But we're not going to make yousad today because we're going
to talk about three main thingsthat you came up with with your
extensive research since lastweek about what's important
about August 26th, and I agreewith this one.
This first one is reallyimportant to a lot of us.
It is it's called National DogDay.
Speaker 1 (04:44):
National really important to a lot of us it is.
It's called National Dog.
Speaker 3 (04:48):
Day National Dog Day.
Yeah, it's probably one of thebetter ones we've had.
I mean, it's probably one thatwe actually would agree with.
Speaker 2 (04:51):
Yes, especially when you consider some of the others
that you're going to talk abouthere today.
National Dog Day has beenaround with us for a long time.
It's kind of debatable how longit's been on the earth, but
National Dog Day was createdsome time back and established
in 2004.
But our furry friends have beenwith us for a very long time.
For all of you cat lovers sorry, not your day.
So anyway, national Dog Day,and I think some of us have dogs
(05:16):
and we love our dogs.
Speaker 3 (05:17):
Everybody yes, not everybody loves dogs.
I love dogs.
I don't have a dog, but I lovedogs.
That's probably why you lovedogs.
I grew up with dogs.
Speaker 2 (05:24):
I don't have a dog, but I love dogs.
Speaker 3 (05:25):
That's probably why you love dogs.
I grew up with dogs, so you'reyours.
Speaker 2 (05:26):
It's less than from a distance.
Speaker 3 (05:27):
When you work really long hours and you live alone,
having a dog is almost mean yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
True, you know Because then they're alone all
the time.
Speaker 3 (05:35):
Bring your dog with you, yeah no, okay, no, no, all
right.
Speaker 2 (05:40):
Homeless individuals bring their dogs with them.
Speaker 3 (05:42):
They do Okay.
Speaker 2 (05:43):
They do Okay, so anyway, National Dog Day.
It's also another veryimportant day.
Miriam announced this one.
Speaker 3 (05:51):
Which one?
Speaker 2 (05:51):
The second one.
Speaker 3 (05:53):
The second one, the one that really belongs in
summer.
Speaker 2 (05:55):
Yeah, it kind of makes sense, it does.
Speaker 3 (05:56):
Because it's well, okay, but there's a question
around this one, Because whatreally constitutes a popsicle
around this one, because whatreally?
Constitutes a popsicle.
This is national cherrypopsicle day, so when you think
of popsicle.
What does it look like?
Speaker 2 (06:13):
it looks like it's on a stick and it's frozen uh-huh,
exactly it tastes good, itsticks to your tongue and then
you have to have it.
Somebody help you get it off.
Speaker 3 (06:21):
Push up ice stuff.
Yeah, and that's not a popsicle.
A popsicle needs a stick.
Well, I agree, okay.
Speaker 5 (06:27):
I agree.
That's why they call thempopsicle sticks.
Speaker 3 (06:30):
You know what John?
Nothing gets past you.
Speaker 2 (06:40):
So, john, I know this has been around a while, but I
Day Then tomorrow National.
Speaker 4 (06:44):
Grape Popsicle Day.
Speaker 2 (06:46):
And you can go on and on and on, and your parents
will be compelled to just isthat way it worked.
Speaker 5 (06:51):
That's absolutely the way it worked.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
That's the way I would have done it.
Yeah, we didn't have Nationalnothing when I was a kid, so
it's all come since then.
So today, even though it's cool, you can go out and get a
cherry popsicle and knows you'recelebrating today with your dog
.
Okay, all right, dogs lovepopsicles too.
They love everything.
All right.
So when you're having your dogday and you're having your
national popsicle day, then theother national day is national
(07:16):
Way to go, josh, national toiletpaper day.
Speaker 1 (07:18):
And so I asked the question why?
Speaker 2 (07:21):
Why do we have to have a national day for?
Speaker 1 (07:23):
toilet paper.
Well, you know, I think we lookat all the other national days
and this one makes sense to mebecause I appreciate having
toilet paper.
Speaker 2 (07:32):
Did you create this, Josh?
I did not.
Was this out of scarcity?
One time it may have been.
I mean, you remember, duringCOVID times it was hard to find
toilet paper.
Speaker 3 (07:39):
So that's very true it probably started in 2020.
Speaker 1 (07:42):
I was like you know what, I'm thankful for toilet
paper.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
Well, I'll tell you what.
Yeah, I remember those days wewere wondering Lines out Sam's
Club.
We were about a mile longtrying to get one package of
toilet paper and you know what?
Speaker 1 (07:53):
I think that shows the appreciation that was the
first thing that went missing,like that was the first hard
thing to find was like toiletpaper.
Speaker 3 (08:08):
So it's like you know what I have.
To admit it changed my buyinghabits because I never used to
have like this stock.
Yeah, you know, you get onepackage.
It's good, you're gonna go tothe grocery now there's always
three in my house.
That's why we had a shortageexactly no, some people went
much farther than I did oh, yeah, you know, but it kind of
changed my buying patterns.
Speaker 1 (08:24):
Yeah, I remember going to Sam's and being like
they had the signs.
They'd roll out the hugepallets of the toilet paper and
it'd have the signs on them.
Speaker 2 (08:32):
One or two per customer, whatever.
Speaker 1 (08:34):
So I was like no, you can only get so much.
Speaker 2 (08:36):
But I finally got my one.
One time I thought, oh, this isso wonderful.
Speaker 1 (08:39):
We did it.
Speaker 2 (08:41):
Life is worth living again.
I cannot go home empty-handed.
Yeah, so it was a formerdirector of the Topeka Rescue
Mission.
Somebody asked me one timewhat's your biggest concern at
the rescue mission?
I said a Friday night and we'reout of toilet paper.
There's no money in the banksto go buy any, because you've
got a long weekend ahead of you.
Speaker 3 (09:00):
So that would be a problem?
Yes, it would it is veryimportant.
Speaker 2 (09:04):
Yeah, so, john Hope, you coordinate a lot of things
here at Topeka Rescue Commission.
One is the toilet paperdistribution and acquisition.
That's right, right, so we'repretty well stocked and just in
case we have something elsecoming.
Speaker 5 (09:14):
You know we are well stocked in toilet paper.
We have followed Miriam'sbuying habits.
We always make sure that wehave extra, so if you run short,
just call Miriam.
She probably got something foryou or anybody wanting to donate
.
Speaker 2 (09:26):
Yeah, that's good.
Well, that's important at thedistribution services to be able
distribution center to havesupply.
We never know what's going tohappen here, that's right.
So, john, talk about Hope, whatshe does, kind of introduce her
.
We've already mentioned hername and first podcast, and so
talk about what theadministrative assistant does at
Distribution Center.
Speaker 5 (09:46):
Yeah, so Hope.
Responsibilities includekeeping track of all the goings
on at the DC.
So the DC has a lot ofdifferent functions, whether
that be going and picking updonations or going and making
deliveries, helping withcompletion of programs and
making deliveries, helping withcompletion of programs, picking
(10:08):
up donations from stores andbusinesses and warehouses and
doing special events, and then,of course, just coordinating all
of our internal supply needs.
And so that is a lot ofinformation, good grief Hope.
Speaker 1 (10:18):
It's a lot of moving parts, that's a lot of stuff and
keeping everybody in line overthere.
Speaker 5 (10:21):
Let's be honest, yep making sure everybody is coming
in.
But Hope really does awonderful job, taking on, even
so, much more than that.
So she has worked at the DC nowfor several years in different
roles and so really has a goodfeel for the entire operation
and so is able to lend help andprovide guidance to our staff
(10:45):
across the warehouse, and she isreally a rock star, especially
when it comes to these specialevents where there's a lot of
coordination and details andnumbers that we have to get
right and set up.
And so you know, back to schoolis one of those areas where she
jumped in and just reallyhelped take the lead on making
sure that everything was inorder, everything was prepared
(11:07):
and that the whole event ransmoothly.
Speaker 2 (11:08):
So very thankful for her.
That's a pretty good setup fortalking about a lot of different
things.
Hope again, welcome to thepodcast today.
Hope you've been here for anumber of years at Topeka Rescue
Mission.
What brought you to the missionto work here?
Speaker 4 (11:21):
Well, lamanda, our daughters go to school together
and I was looking for a job andshe said we have jobs, and so
she sent me on a bunch ofinterviews and the DC is the one
that fit the best, and so Istarted driving trucks, working
in clothing, doing all sorts ofwhatever needed to be done at
(11:42):
the distribution center, andit's been a good place for me
here.
Speaker 2 (11:47):
Sounds like you do, but it's not everything there.
I mean, it's just like that'skind of how everybody is.
Everybody throws in.
Somebody's going to kind ofcoordinate that.
So had you done anything likewhat you're doing here at Topeka
Rescue Mission before, I'vebeen in ministry before.
Speaker 4 (12:02):
I've worked in a lot of women's ministry.
I've helped coordinate eventsbefore been on ministry boards I
had done homeless ministry kindof in bits and pieces.
We lived in California so wedid some out there with our
chapel and I've done a lot ofchapel ministry with military,
so Maybe nothing quite like this, maybe not driving trucks.
Speaker 2 (12:24):
I was going to say driving trucks before picking up
stuff.
Speaker 4 (12:26):
No, I drove in Japan.
So I figured, if I can drive inJapan, I can drive a truck, wow
.
Speaker 2 (12:32):
Sounds like you've had some wide experiences even
before you came here.
Some people come here.
They've never had an experiencelike this.
Sounds like you've already beendoing a lot of things, so you
needed a job.
You were looking for a job.
You and what is what's?
You needed a job.
You were looking for a job.
You and LaManda got to knoweach other.
What has been something thatyou've learned that you didn't
know about Topeka Rescue Missionbefore you started?
Speaker 4 (12:53):
working, how many things we do here.
I think that's something thateverybody learns, even
volunteers.
Just coming through on a touris.
You don't realize how manyfacets of just Topeka in general
we touch and how many differentways we can help.
It's not just the homelessshelter.
The DC actually does a lot thatdoesn't have to do with the
(13:16):
shelter.
We do a lot for the shelter andsupplying things and making
sure they have what they need.
But we do a lot of our ownseparate distributions for, like
, back to school or Christmas orfood.
We do twice a week and you canget other other things too.
Speaker 2 (13:31):
So when you talk about supporting the kind of
general operation of the missionthe shelters being one,
outreach, those different thingsyou kind of like the the
backbone of being able to dowhat the different shelters do.
We talked about toilet paperhere a little bit ago.
So many things, mary, many evenin your area of supportive
services.
What's the value of thedistribution center for what you
(13:52):
do?
Speaker 3 (13:53):
Oh well, everything I mean and I think about,
particularly like the housingdepartment, right, and the
completion of programs that theydo when that team is able to
get people back into housing,but it's everything.
You know.
Everything that it takes to runa business comes through the
distribution center, for themost part Paper pens.
you know, you think about justoffice supplies you know
(14:16):
everything you know, and they'reour first call when we need
something to see if, number one,it's been donated, because I
think too, you know, we thinkabout donations coming into the
mission and it being kind ofentered into a database because
it's financial.
Well, the mission runs all ofits operations because of
(14:37):
donations of stuff as well.
It's why we get to do thecompletion of program, or it's
why we get to have food todistribute, or it's why we get
to have food to distribute wedon't purchase.
When you consider the volume offood that the distribution
center puts out into thecommunity, if we had to pay for
that financially, millions.
Speaker 2 (14:58):
Millions Actually, really.
Millions of dollars, millionsof dollars of purchasing the
food which saves the communityand the donors, and the rest of
the millions of dollarsAbsolutely which saves?
the community and the donors andthe rest of millions of dollars
Absolutely, and so theopportunity that the folks at
(15:18):
the distribution center have tobuild a relationship with the
donors as well as the peoplethat we serve is amazing.
There's a lot of things asadministrative assistant here.
It sounds like you'recoordinating, juggling.
One of those is the completionof program that was mentioned.
Mary mentioned that.
What does that mean?
People getting ready to moveout of the rescue mission to
their housing?
Mary mentioned the rehousingdepartment that we have here,
(15:40):
which is really amazing A groupof people getting people ready
to go.
So people find a home but theydon't have anything to sleep on,
they don't have anything to siton, they don't have maybe a
refrigerator, whatever.
What does completion program do?
What does it look like?
Speaker 4 (15:54):
Well, it looks like we get information from housing
and then we can call the guestsand set up a time to come and
find out what they need.
Some people have some stuff,maybe in storage.
Some people have absolutelynothing, and so when we know
that and know their situationand know what they're getting
into, we have a great team thatloves to go above and beyond and
(16:17):
just coming up with creativethings to give them.
We get a lot of donations andso we can give people things.
They're basic things that theyneed, but we can also give them
things that are fun and justthings that make it exciting,
because I think starting over itcan be very scary and um, but
we want to make it easier forthem because, um, it's hard just
(16:39):
to start over and have nothing,and so that's why all the
donations that come in whetherit's from the donors that come
to the door or like the Walmartdistribution center, that's
where all of that goes to is topeople that are really in need
and starting over and talk withthem about what they need, and
then you go beyond, uh, if youcan.
Speaker 2 (17:10):
What kind of reaction do you get?
Speaker 4 (17:12):
they're very grateful .
One time we had we did acompletion but we had just
gotten a delivery from, or apickup from, walmart
distribution center and we had alot of kids toys and like swing
sets and these people weregetting into a house and so we
were able to really bless themand and I mean, the mom was in
tears because they neverimagined being able to have all
that stuff.
You know, most people wouldn'tbe able to afford purchasing it,
(17:34):
let alone just having it givento them and delivered to their
house.
So that's really fun.
You get to kind of play SantaClaus and just show up and bless
people.
Speaker 2 (17:45):
I think some people just think, okay, they're coming
out of the rescue mission, theygot an apartment now or
whatever, and they're good to go.
Well, you might be good to gowith a roof over your head, but
if you got nothing to sleep on,you have no food to eat, you
don't have any toilet paper, youdon't have any of those
particular things.
It can be just a little bitlonely and can make you feel
like I made a bad decision toleave in the mission.
(18:07):
So, part of that stabilizationhelping people to have the basic
things to stabilize and then,yeah, I've seen some of those
faces and some of those tearsand it probably goes both ways
the people who are helping alsosharing the tears as well, john,
over community services and thethings that you do as a deputy
(18:30):
director here and what Hope doeshere.
It's not just one event, it'sseveral.
One is Christmas, which we'llbe talking about really soon.
Are you planning, alreadyplanning?
Speaker 3 (18:43):
Yeah, it's almost September, that's right, but
we'll wait until after CherryPopsicle Day to get into
Christmas.
It's almost September.
Speaker 5 (18:45):
That's right, but we'll wait till after Cherry
Popsicle.
Speaker 2 (18:49):
Day, that's tomorrow.
Speaker 3 (18:49):
So it's not to ruin Cherry Popsicle Day.
Speaker 2 (18:52):
That's right.
So and then we then we mostrecently be talking about the
big annual back to school.
So talk about that, you andHope, kind of talking back and
forth.
I mean, we've talked about howpeople can help, the value of it
, but what happened?
What happened this year?
It's done.
Well, we say it's done, themajor part of it's done.
(19:12):
We still have kids coming in tothe rescue mission that don't
have anything and they're goingto get enrolled in school, or
they are in school and don'thave the basic things.
Speaker 5 (19:28):
So talk about what happened with the big event and
then what we do going forward.
Yeah, we had a wonderful eventthis year where we were able to
bless several hundred students,so we ended up there were 319
students who came through thedoor and got fully equipped with
backpacks and paper and pensand pencils and highlighter
pencil boxes all the things thatyou could need.
We had bags set aside forelementary and for secondary so
(19:48):
that it would be appropriate,based on the age of the student,
and we also had some wonderfulvolunteers who helped set up a
clothing area where we were ablejust to put out clothing and
that had been donated to us.
And so then families, as theycame through and they got their
school supplies, they could alsogo and get some outfits for
(20:11):
school and get help with that.
You know new socks, underwear,pants, shirts, coats.
Again, it's summertime, but it'sstill good to be thinking about
getting coats and gettingjackets and prepared for the
fall and winter season.
So it was just a wonderful day.
We were also blessed for theLions Club to partner with us,
(20:32):
so they gave out free visionscreenings to folks, and so I
know that there were some peoplethat they were able to help.
And just, you know sometimesyounger children who they were
able to kind of give a referralthen to go and maybe look at
getting glasses or go and see aneye doctor and parents said, oh
(20:53):
, I didn't know that they werehaving this trouble seeing and
you know a younger child, fouror five years old, they might
not know to say, because that'sjust how they're used to it,
because that's just how they'reused to it, and so, seeing all
of those things come together,we had so much effort coming
from our staff and getting thisset up.
(21:14):
We had so much just faithfulparticipation from our donors of
donating school supplies.
Sometimes those were financialgifts, other times people were
bringing things to our door andpeople also utilized our Amazon
wish list and just sent thingsdirectly to us, and so we were
well stocked to be able to makesure that everybody who came in
(21:36):
was able to be blessed, and ateam of volunteers running and
interacting with folks too.
Just a wonderful thing to seeall of these different aspects
people from all over the citycoming together and being a
community and helping each otherout making sure these students
are going to be prepared.
Speaker 2 (21:56):
It's like many moving parts to it, hope.
Do I understand that this isunder your kind of
organizational event?
Is this?
Are you the driver on this?
Speaker 4 (22:07):
It's a group effort.
Speaker 2 (22:13):
It takes a lot of people.
That's a good leader that saysthat so.
But somebody's got to make sureeverything lines up.
You have a volunteer department.
Susie talks to volunteers, ofcourse, and then refers them to
you or somebody there, and thencontacting all of the folks, the
families and so forth.
So talk a little bit about Imean John's kind of unpacked the
30,000-foot view of this.
Talk about some of the nuts andbolts.
What does it take to makesomething like that happen?
Speaker 4 (22:36):
A lot of coordinating , just making sure we have what
we need, to know what we need,and just planning well in
advance.
When people are leaving schoolis when we start planning for
going back to school, and so westart thinking about what we
have.
Sometimes we have stuff that'sbeen left over from last year or
stuff that's been donatedthroughout the year, and so
(22:57):
we'll start kind of takinginventory and keeping track of
things that are coming in.
That's how the Amazon list cameabout.
We were able to put just somethings that we knew we needed
already on the Amazon wish list,and our donors were very
generous this year and it helpedout a lot just to be able to
get bulk items like pins.
(23:17):
Instead of somebody buying apackage of 10 pins at Walmart,
we would get a package of 200.
And that really helped us to getstarted well and to not have to
go and buy as much.
So it was a big blessing tojust every day see that stuff
coming in.
Speaker 2 (23:34):
So you've got an inventory that you have got to
kind of keep track of.
You've got things that arecoming in in bulk, things that
aren't even here yet.
How do you balance that out?
Because I know we've had theseconversations about do you go
out and purchase it?
Do you wait for it to show up?
How do you pray, when do youtrust, when do you go do
something different?
All those kinds of things.
So you're kind of like, uh,right on the front line of all
(23:56):
that.
So how, what's that pressure?
Like to know that here theycome.
We don't have enough backpacks.
I know that was one of thethings here a couple weeks ago
we were talking about we needmore backpacks.
How do you navigate throughthat, knowing that people are
going to come to you Hope andsay, hey, we need this and this
and this.
How are you?
Speaker 4 (24:16):
going to get it for us.
Well, there are times that wejust keep track of the inventory
, but we also know that thecloser it gets to school it
thing, the more it's somethingpeople are going to think about
more, and that more will come in.
This is probably my third yearof doing this, and more always
comes in, and it comes in aswe're doing the event.
(24:37):
So and this year it was just,you know, a lot of faith we
didn't know how the Amazonwishlist was going to work.
We just kind of put it outthere and things just kept
coming in, and so I felt likethat was a big blessing from the
Lord, just because, you know,we weren't going out and doing a
lot, we were just putting itout there to see what happened,
and so that was a big blessing.
(24:58):
Yeah, and just to know that thedonors will also come in and
donate money as well, so that ifwe do need to go shopping we
can.
So I mean, we know that theLord knows how many people are
coming and how many people thatwe will need to serve, and so it
takes some of the stress awayto know that you know he will
(25:21):
provide.
Speaker 2 (25:22):
Some people will be really freaking out about that
kind of responsibility of, Iguess, all these people coming
and I don't want to say no, soyou do that.
Speaker 4 (25:30):
That's your job.
Speaker 3 (25:30):
That's part of your job.
Speaker 2 (25:32):
Yeah, Miriam, obviously being in the nonprofit
arena for a long time missionfor quite a number of years now.
Do you ever get tired ofhearing about this, the way that
people come together and theway the provision is?
Speaker 3 (25:44):
No, never.
I never get tired and I don'tthink I ever will get tired,
because it's just thisconfirmation that the Lord is
faithful and that we and peopleare faithful to listen to the
Lord Absolutely.
They get prompted and so theyrespond.
But you know what I think toois it's okay that we get a
little bit anxious, because Ithink it shows that we care.
(26:05):
I don't think it means anythingrelated to do we are, we is our
faith faltering?
I don't think.
That's it Not doubt.
Speaker 2 (26:13):
No how do we apply the faith?
Speaker 3 (26:15):
And what is our role in the middle of all of it?
You know, are we doing, youknow it's not.
We've never been asked to bepassive in the midst of faith,
right?
Passive in the midst of faith,right, I mean.
So there's all these thingsthat we're going to continue to
do, and part of that is a littlebit of anxiety, making sure
that we don't want to turnanyone away and that's the
beautiful thing Even though weknow the Lord will provide
(26:36):
exactly what we're supposed tohave and what we're supposed to
give away.
We know that.
Speaker 2 (26:42):
One of the things we don't anticipate is saying to
the 300 plus kids that arecoming One of the things we
don't anticipate is saying tothe 300 plus kids that are
coming sorry, we don't haveanything for you.
That's not an option.
Speaker 3 (26:48):
No, we don't ever want to do that, and neither
does the Lord.
That's right.
Speaker 2 (26:53):
That's right, and neither is a community that
wants to help, so they sometimeswill go above and beyond as
well, right?
So we talked about thecompletion of program hope and
some of the different reactionsthat you get.
What reactions?
Some of the different reactionsthat you get what reactions?
I know that when you'rejuggling all of the things that
you're juggling same thing withyou, john, you don't always get
a chance to get up close and seewhat the value of it is.
(27:15):
But what did you glean from thefamilies, the kids, the parents
, when they were getting themultiplicity of things you were
talking about?
What was the environment like?
Speaker 4 (27:26):
They were very grateful.
You know, most people know howmuch school supplies cost and
how expensive it can be, and wehad a lot of large families come
through and so you startmultiplying that and then, on
top of that, being able todistribute clothing, and you
know, the family can just pickout whatever clothing.
There was no limit, no anything.
They could just take whateverthey needed.
(27:53):
Um and um, and we I mean we hadshoes, we had all sorts of
things and we were able to do araffle this year with some of
the items donated from walmart.
And that was probably my one ofmy favorite parts, because, um,
it was so unexpected forfamilies to be able to, you know
, win something pretty big,whether it's like outdoor
furniture or kids' bikes, or wehad some like kids' cars and all
(28:16):
sorts of fun things that theycould have.
And I think, like I said, thatwas my favorite because that was
unexpected.
And some of the kids were evensigning up for the raffle
unbeknownstst to their parents,and winning things for like
their siblings.
Speaker 2 (28:28):
So talk about how they did it.
A lot of people think you'vegot to buy a ticket to get in a
raffle.
This was not a purchase thing.
How do people sign up?
Speaker 4 (28:35):
They just put their name in a box and then we called
them and, like I said, some andthey could sign up for anything
as many things as they wanted.
Some of these things we havemultiples of.
And we were just really gratefulto be able to bless so many
people.
Like I said, it's just it'sprobably the best part of the
job is being able to give peoplestuff that they're not even
(28:55):
expecting.
I mean, sometimes they come tous with needs but then being
able to go above and beyond thatand just give them things not
just that they need but thatthey could want or not even be
able to dream of really everhaving, was a big blessing.
And just being able to see thekids' faces and that they would
win this, and the parents kindof working hard just to be able
to pick some of the largerthings up, it was kind of a
(29:16):
challenge for them but they didwhat it took to get it.
Speaker 2 (29:19):
One of the most exciting things in a family's
life is getting ready to go backto school.
The kids are excited, thefamilies are excited, but it's
also one of the most anxietyprovoking if you're not sure if
you're ready, if the kid's notready, if you don't have the
supplies.
In this situation, it soundslike you not only reduce the
apprehension, to say the least,but you also made it a fun event
(29:41):
that they will remember.
Going back to school is fun andwe get to be a part of this,
and so if you're a family that'slistening to this maybe a
grandma, grandpa, aunt or uncle,whatever and your family
doesn't struggle, just know thatyou've been a really big part
of helping people not struggleso much.
(30:02):
Josh, I'm thinking of you rightnow in regards to
communications and everythingthat goes out, like the podcast
we're talking about.
How does it feel to hear thatyou put it out there?
You just kind of throw it outthere and people actually are
listening and reading?
Speaker 1 (30:18):
Yeah, no, I think it kind of goes back to talking
about trusting God for thingsand being a good steward of that
, and that part of that isputting the word out Like
obviously people can't help ifthey don't know, and so
obviously there's definitelybeen plenty of times where the
Lord's or you know people bringstuff by and they're like man, I
really felt the Lord laying iton my heart and there was no you
know, specific need put out.
(30:39):
But I consider that part of therole is, like you know, us being
a steward of the news, so tospeak, and like you know what
are the needs, what are thestories, and so I think that's a
big part of it and it's cool tosee, having been here as long
as I have now, it almost gets tothe point where, like well,
yeah, of course, god, providedthat it's like you know, you
kind of start getting a littleless surprised.
(31:01):
It's like well, yeah, but itdoesn't stop the nerves from
from coming around.
Speaker 2 (31:08):
But yeah, it's we can expect God to do a miracle, but
not be presumptuous.
He's going to do it the way wewant it, right, oh yeah.
Speaker 1 (31:14):
And that's the cool thing is, it's always a way you
don't expect, it's always like.
You know the ones that are likeoh yeah, I didn't, I didn't
know, I just felt like God on.
Those are the stories thatyou're like oh, that's cool, I
didn't have any part in that andthat's okay.
Speaker 3 (31:31):
Or those times when it comes in last minute.
Those are the good ones In mymind.
Well, it depends on who you are.
Well, I know, I agree with that.
Speaker 2 (31:38):
Maybe not Hope Benci.
Speaker 5 (31:40):
I like the ones that come early.
Speaker 3 (31:42):
But there's something about when it comes, just the
nick of time that kind of makesyou pause just a little bit.
Speaker 2 (31:49):
Well, there's those unexpected things, when you're
just not sure if it's going tohappen.
And then it does happen in sucha spectacular way, which also
we've talked about, the joy thatis experienced by the kids, by
the families.
What about the volunteers?
What about the donors that youconnected with?
What are you hearing from them?
Speaker 5 (32:06):
Yeah, I think it's a really rewarding process to be
involved in.
I can.
I mean, I know that it is forus as staff to come in and be
able to see it, and so you knowthat day the event just is, you
know, popping in and make it,seeing how it's going, and just
seeing seeing the familieslooking at clothes together, you
(32:26):
know holding up shirts, seeingif it's the right size, and
seeing kids come with their newbackpacks.
Especially, it's always funseeing the little kids when they
get a backpack that has agraphic on it.
They like it's a bluey backpackor Spider-Man, and really
excited about that, just seeingthe joy on their face.
So I know, as staff members,it's really rewarding to just
(32:50):
see it come to fruition and seeall of these material things
right and that, knowing thatsome of them are bought with the
money that comes in or thethings that come in in boxes,
but now seeing it go and begiven to people and and um and
there's, just knowing thatthat's going to be a help, it's
so rewarding and so, um, I wouldjust really encourage people,
(33:14):
um, to come in and be a part ofthat, uh, to, to come in and
volunteer and be able to see itfirsthand.
Um, it's a wonderful experience.
We had a wonderful team ofvolunteers this year.
Um, our volunteer coordinator,susie Pazzi, did such a great
job connecting people withopportunities to help.
And so there were volunteersthroughout the day of helping to
(33:36):
run the sign-in section orhelping to give out the school
supplies or helping tocontinually kind of reorganize
the clothing and the shoes area.
But then we also had so manyvolunteers who helped beforehand
, coming with the setup process,setting up tables, moving
things around, bringingunloading the boxes as the
(33:59):
clothes and all the supplieswere taken from the DC over to
our warehouse, staging them,getting them organized, labeling
things just countless hoursthat people came and did
beforehand and I'm thankful forthose volunteers because they
might not have seen it on theday of but, just knowing that
their faithfulness and comingand giving their time to help
(34:20):
out in that setup process has animpact on the community, on
hundreds of children andfamilies in our community, and
made a difference, you know,even if they didn't see it.
Speaker 2 (34:31):
So it takes all of that so many people not having
to be there the day of, butbeing there ahead of time and
then also kind of puttingeverything away afterwards
because otherwise you got torepurpose the space.
Ok, you had a great event againthis year.
I don't know how many yearsRescue Mission's been doing this
.
It's been a long time.
Speaker 3 (34:48):
Forever, it's forever .
I bet about 14,000.
Speaker 2 (34:50):
About 14,000 years.
Yeah, at least hours.
But so another great event, butagain, it's not a one and done.
In regards to families cominginto the Hope Center Right now
we have a lot of kids staying atHope Center.
We're going to have more cominginto the Hope Center.
Right now we have a lot of kidsstaying at Hope Center.
We're going to have more comingthroughout the year before next
(35:10):
school.
And so Hope, what do you dowhen you hear from Hope Center
We've got a new child that'sgoing into first grade or
whatever?
What is the procedure now forgetting that kid set up?
So when they enter into thatschoolroom or maybe they've been
in it without any supplies howdo you help that kid to feel
right and normal and good?
Speaker 4 (35:31):
Well, we kind of get as much information as we can as
they'll give us about what theylike and what their age is and
what they need.
And then we have a fabuloussupply, lady Becky, who will put
it all together for us and,like I said, she's got what?
16 grandkids, so she prettymuch knows Becky's like me.
(35:54):
She's been around here about14,000 years too, so she knows
this business.
Yep, so she knows and she canpretty much tell you what they
would need.
And she, like I said, she lovesto be generous and thoughtful
and put anything she could thinkof in there for them.
Speaker 2 (36:02):
So there's an ongoing effort to stay on top of this
for their kids.
And so any extra supplies thatcame in, you hold those back for
the rest of the year to be ableto.
Because we don't know how manykids are coming to the Peaker
Rescue Mission, we don't knowhow many.
I mean things change and itcould be kind of status quo,
kind of gradual up and down, andthen there could be some type
(36:24):
of situation occur in ourcommunity where there is just
twice as many, three times,maybe four times, we don't know.
I remember one time, many yearsago, there were 100 children in
the Hope Center at the same time.
There's not hardly enough roomfor the adults to be there,
because there was such a need.
Unfortunately that didn't lastlong before they got rehoused.
But anything can happen.
(36:44):
So being prepared in all ways,whether it's the food, toilet
papers we talked about cherrypopsicles when you got them and
dog food, and on and on, and onand on and on and on, and then
to school, anything, else you'dlike to share with us about this
year's back to school oranything you'd like to say to
(37:06):
people who are listening.
Speaker 4 (37:07):
I would just say thank you so much for getting on
Amazon, getting on those linksand buying stuff.
That was a big blessing and,honestly, kind of a surprise,
because it was the first year wehad really attempted anything
like this or even tried it and,like I said, we were all just
very happy and excited andsurprised whenever things came
in and it made our jobs a loteasier.
Speaker 2 (37:22):
Absolutely.
Speaker 5 (37:23):
Yeah, so thankful for people who were so generous
with their donations, thankfulfor volunteers who gave of their
time, and then thankful alsofor just our you know, the
people who support what we dohere at the Rescue Mission, just
lifting the van up in prayer,because we know that there are
just praying, that it would be afruitful event and those
prayers were answered.
So thankful for that supportand would just encourage folks
(37:52):
to, you know, to come and seefor yourself next year, you know
, and look for that opportunity.
But also for anybody who knowsof a family who's in need, have
them, give us a call.
So we, you know that is whatwe're here for is to help the
people in our community.
Give us a call.
So we, you know that is whatwe're here for is to help the
people in our community.
And so if, if you have someonein need, give us a call.
(38:15):
And even though schools alreadystarted or the events closed,
we're always, you know, lookingfor a way to help.
Speaker 2 (38:18):
Yeah, Not only one and done.
It just goes on Well.
Thank you for all the effortsthat you put into this.
There's great joy that we cansee you guys have a lot of fun
doing it.
It's very meaningful, but it'sa lot of work and for everybody
who participated in this whetheryou gave financially, you gave
materially, you gave of yourtime to help this to be a
successful event and, as we say,it's not a one and done.
(38:41):
It's not the only event.
We have Christmas coming up, anight of praise coming up here
in just a few days, anddifferent things that people can
participate in, let alone everysingle day.
Volunteer needs, giving needs,opportunities for people to
participate in truly a placethat is not just here to help
people with a need but help themto know that they matter and
(39:03):
that their lives can betransformed.
Thank you for listening to OurCommunity, Our Mission.
I think you kind of canidentify today why we call it
Our Community and Our MissionComing together, community,
coming together, around helpingpeople to know that they matter
and to do it in some verypractical ways to help them to
know that God loves them and youlove them too.
Thank you for being a part ofOur Community, Our Mission.
(39:24):
If you would like moreinformation about Topeka Rescue
Mission, you can go totrmonlineorg.
That's trmonlineorg and there'smany things that you can look
at with the Topeka RescueMission.
Hope said didn't know there wasthis much going on.
Well, you can find out a littlebit more by going to that
website.
Also, look at the Facebook andsee what God might call you to
(39:46):
do to be a part of our community, our mission.
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