Are you a youth leader looking for an activity you can do with your youth at your church that would have a positive impact on homeless or needy persons in the Kansas City area? Call or e-mail Suzanne Bartling with questions: 816.285.3146 or suzannebartling@mlmkc.org.

A. Sack Lunch Packing

The MLM Education Center hosts “life skills” classes daily.  Each participant is provided a sack lunch.  200 sack lunches are needed each month.  Plus if we have a large number of guests at our Breakfast Ministry, we hand out sack lunches to the guests we don’t have enough breakfast for so no one goes away hungry.  So we need many, many sack lunches every day.

To organize a “sack lunch” packing:

1) Advertise in your church bulletin for items needed to fill the sack lunches (see list below).  Have a bin set up in the church for collection

2) Advertise the time and place of the actual “packing” in the church bulletin

3) The following items could be included in each sack lunch (note that all items have to be non-perishable):  Vienna Sausages (or  Tuna/Chicken Salad with Crackers), bag of cookies and chips, applesauce or fruit cup, can of soda or juice box

4) Gather the donations and determine how many lunches you will be able to pack

5) Bring the donations to the “packing party” and have the participants pack one item apiece in paper lunch sacks

6) Call Suzanne to discuss delivery or deliver to MLM (3031 Holmes)

B. Christian Cards and Messages

Many times, the individuals who are coming in for aide at MLM are going through some pretty rough times.  They are embarrassed and ashamed that they cannot provide for their families. 

These individuals need to know that Jesus loves them and cares for them especially now.  Christian messages or cards written especially for them may help them to remember Jesus’ love.To organize a group to  write Christian cards or messages:

(1) Advertise in your church bulletin for cards needed, depending on the season (ideas would include Valentine’s Day Cards, Christmas Cards, Easter Cards, Thanksgiving Cards, etc…).  Have a bin set up in the church for collection

(2) Advertise the time and place of the actual event in the church bulletin

(3) Gather the cards and distribute them to all the participants during the event.  Be sure to have on hand different materials to decorate the cards including markers, crayons, glitter glue, scissors, construction paper, etc… Encourage the participants to be creative.

(4) See below for a list of suggested Bible verses, or come up with your own list.

(5) Deliver to MLM (3031 Holmes).  These will be distributed to all three Family Care Center locations

Want more ideas for fun service opportunities?  Call Suzanne Bartling, MLM Director of Outreach Ministry at 816-285-3146 or email at suzannebartling@mlmkc.org