Along with you, we continue to watch what is happening in Ukraine and want to help the people that are in Ukraine as well as those that are fleeing. Currently, we are working with Methodists in the Ukraine and surrounding countries to help with basic needs such as food, hygiene items, lodging, and medicine. An update from the Bishop’s office in the Methodist Conference of Central & Southern Europe:

“Save your strength, the road we are on will be long.” This is how Supt. Ivana Procházková, of the UMC in Czechia, perceives the current situation as it is becoming increasingly obvious that the response to the war in Ukraine and its implications won’t be a matter of a few weeks only. Numerous refugees continue their journey after having spent some restful nights in a country directly or indirectly bordering to Ukraine. In Hungary and Slovakia, for instance, the majority of those having arrived from the war-torn neighboring country, are in transit. On the other hand, the Superintendent in Poland estimates that about 60% of the more than two million refugees that have fled to his country so far, aim to stay. This means that in addition to providing emergency relief for refugees on their onward journey, taking care of those staying longer-term is of increasing importance – for the governments, churches, and other organizations.

We are sending funds to support their effort in housing and feeding those that have had to flee their homes as well as helping cover the costs of relief transports from the surrounding countries to different locations in Ukraine. Please pray for the people of Ukraine – and everyone involved that want a quick and peaceful end to this war. If you’d like to donate, you can donate to our disaster response ministry HERE.

When school is out in the Kansas City area, many children lose access to nutritional foods they need every day.

In the Harvester's Service Area:

• 108,000+ children are food insecure
• 1 in 6 children are in danger of being hungry
• Only 58% qualify for federal nutrition programs
• 10% of children in Johnson County, KS are food insecure

You can make an impact by purchasing "Summer Staples" food donations and dropping them off at Church of the Resurrection services on June 12th.

Or donate online!

Summer Staples Shopping List

• Cereal - Our biggest need this year due to demand
• Peanut butter & Jelly
• Mac and Cheese
• Canned Pasta (Ravioli/Spaghettio's)
• Canned Chicken

Volunteers needed to help collect and sort donations!

• On going collection support
• Food Sorting: June 27th | 5-7pm
• For these opportunities and more please contact Eric Breidenstein or Reca Hanna

Want to volunteer at your campus? Visit our June 18th Serve Saturday Sign- up HERE

We ask that unsolicited donations be taken to another donation center. If you are interested in helping receive and sort donations or dropping off donations during weekday office hours, please contact Cristen.summers@cor.org and she’ll get you connected to your location specific Director of Missions.

Serve in our community at various locations in Kansas City.

Serve Saturdays are the third Saturday of the month and offer a variety of pre-planned serving opportunities which require only your time and a desire to make an impact in our church, our community and our world. Individuals, families and groups are welcome to participate in any of our events. Help us serve God by serving others!

This month we have added our yearly School Makeover project!!

Our events are designed as easy, low-commitment ways to make a positive impact on your neighbors in the metro area. Try something new, or enjoy a familiar favorite. Either way, you'll experience the powerful impact of helping others by becoming God's hands and feet right here in Kansas City.

Registration is required. Volunteers will go directly to their selected serve site on that day. Please note, some locations have specific COVID-related guidelines for volunteers.

• Family Friendly opportunities from sorting donations to serving meals
• Hands on opportunities from building shelves to grounds maintenance
• Making personal connections while shopping with our neighbors for their clothing needs.
• And so much more!

LEARN MORE AND REGISTER HERE!

Looking for some at-home serve activities? Check out our DIY Serve page!

Resurrection has partnered with the Community Blood Center since 1994. The Community Blood Center (CBC) provides over 90% of the blood used by hospitals throughout the Greater Kansas City metropolitan area, as well as eastern Kansas and western Missouri. They supply nearly 200,000 blood products each year to 60 area hospitals and relies on volunteer donors each day to meet the need for lifesaving gifts of blood. The CBC operates 365/24/7 to deliver safe, high-quality products to meet transfusion needs for routine care and emergencies.

Here are the remaining blood donor event dates for 2022. Click on the location to make an appointment.

Blue Springs Hours: 2:30pm-6:30pm

· May 26th

· September 1st

· November 17^th

Leawood Hours 8:00am – 8:00pm

· May 23rd and May 24th

· August 29th and 30th

· November 14th & 15^th

Overland Park Hours 2:00pm – 7:00pm

· May 26th

· September 1st

· November 17^th

West Hours 10:00am – 7:00pm

· May 16th

· August 22nd

· November 21st

If you are looking for more opportunities to donate Click here to find hours and locations of the nearest center to you.

Through our Local Impact Ministries, we partner with organizations and groups to make a difference throughout the Kansas City area. We collect food, clothing, furniture, and technology to distribute to those in need; provide tutoring and meal assistance at local schools; participate in construction projects to renovate and renew homes; and serve in many other ways right here in our own neighborhood. None of this would be possible without our amazing volunteers.

Looking for a place that best fits your passion? There are many opportunities from hunger to education to driving trucks for all our ministry needs. Contact Cristen Summers at Cristen.summers@cor.org to help you find what calls you!

Ready to sign up? Click HERE to learn more and fill out our Volunteer-hub application!

We recognize retaining qualified teachers is a key component to student success. During the past couple of years teachers have experienced so much stress and we are partnering with the Lawrence school district to help with updating teacher lounges so teachers will have a comfortable, inviting space at the school. We will need about 50 people to help with this over two Serve Saturday weekends; preferably experienced painters or those who have the ability to work with care for about 3-4 hours. Since this is a much smaller event I'm asking that volunteers be 16 or older.

Jewish Vocational Services (JVS) assists newcomer individuals and families in achieving self-reliance. We serve by helping with home setups, groceries, and welcoming arrivals at the airport. Further opportunities directly with JVS are available providing support in the form of personal development, employment and training services. We can always use items found on this home set up list if you’d like to help mitigate the costs of home set-ups. Another way to support home set-ups is to donate to Flourish Furnishings, which provides many of the needed items.

If you haven't filled out the cor.org/VolunteerHub application yet, please do so before proceeding.

Next, you can watch this JVS training video.

Last, fill out these forms for JVS and return them to Patrick McLaughlin with a statement affirming you've watched the video.

If you'd like to simply become a JVS volunteer unaffiliated with Resurrection, please contact volunteer@jvskc.org.

Using Psalm 4:8 as the guiding mission, the Beds Program provides new beds to children who don’t have beds of their own in Kansas City urban and suburban communities. Our purpose is to recognize and address the physical need for sleep, thus providing a sense of comfort, rest and peace. Through this coordinated demonstration of God’s love and provision, we will bring smiles and comfort to children and families. Our focus is to serve the children referred by Resurrection's partner school districts and specific mission partners.

Upcoming Serving Opportunities:

Beds Pick-up Parties:

Volunteers are needed to load/unload mattresses, greet participants and assist them in picking up linens and pajamas. This is a great serving opportunity for the whole family-appropriate for children 7 and older when accompanied by an adult. Please note this event takes place outside-dress accordingly!

• Beds Party at Wheatley Elementary 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, April 25

• Beds Party at Big Brothers Big Sisters at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, May 2

Contact bedsforeverybody@gmail.com with questions.

Other Serve Opportunities:

Host a Linen Drive

Host a linen drive in your school, workplace, or neighborhood! New twin linens will be provided to school aged children who receive beds through the Program. If you need more information on the Program for your drive, please contact bedsforeverybody@gmail.com.

Slat Support Construction

Have access to free or inexpensive lumber? We are always looking for lumber to build our slat support structure. This structure is used in place of a box spring.

Sponsor a Bed

Don’t let a Kansas City child sleep on the floor tonight. Consider sponsoring a bed!

• $95 for a new twin bed (mattress, mattress pad, slat support and metal frame)
• $40 for a new set of linens
• $135 for a twin bed and all the linens!

Contact bedsforeverybody@gmail.com with questions.

Please visit the Beds Ministry Donations page for more information about how to support this ministry with donations.

I will both lie down and sleep in peace; for you alone, O Lord, make me lie down in safety. -Psalm 4:8

Tutor with children grades K-6 at one of Resurrection's partner school locations helping students improve their reading and math skills.

Serve Opportunities

Tutor or Reading Buddy: Assist students with reading skills, letter recognition and/or letter sounds. Requires weekly commitment.

Classroom Assistant: Assist teachers in classrooms and work with individuals or small groups of children; help the teacher with other needed tasks. Requires weekly commitment.

Lunch Buddies: Be a mentor and build self confidence with children. Enjoy lunch with a student each week while reading, visiting, or working on flashcards.

Ages: Volunteers must be 18 years and older.

Training Requirements: In order to provide a safe environment for all children, background checks and specialized training will be required prior to serving as a tutor. Please go to the Partner Schools Cultural Competency Training page for training dates and to register. Safe Gatherings certification is also required for those working in the schools. If you are not already Safe Gatherings certified (certification lasts four years) you will receive tips to help you quickly complete the required online training when you attend Cultural Comptency training.

Grace United Community Ministries operates to better the community one person at a time in a holistic approach through basic needs, supportive needs and spiritual needs.

Grace currently offers an after school tutoring program for children Kindergarten through 8th grade.

When: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, 3:50-5:45 pm.

Where: Grace United Ministries, 811 Benton Blvd, Kansas City, MO.

Approximately 80-90 students attend four days a week, Monday through Thursday from 3:50 to 5:45 pm.  The program follows the KCMO school calendar.  All students are tested to determine their reading grade level and math proficiency.  A retired district reading specialist coordinates the curriculum and after more than ten years of operating, the program has achieved success in helping these children reach grade level proficiencies.  Adults work one on one with students in a structured environment and normally tutor three students each session.

Passions and skills that are especially helpful for serving in this role are children, education, literacy, care & support, mentoring, underprivileged, justice and mentoring.

If you are interested in helping with this ministry, please contact Linda Anderson at randerson507@gmail.com or (816) 352-3741.

The need for affordable housing is immense, and the lasting impact homeownership can have on families and individuals is undeniable.

There are more than 13,000 families in Kansas City struggling to find affordable housing. We are excited to be partnering with Habitat for Humanity of Kansas City to build new affordable homes.

The homes are not free – each family who partners with Habitat is making a personal and financial investment in their future. Habitat for Humanity of Kansas City partners with families to provide strength, stability and self-reliance through shelter. Through this partnership, each family has the opportunity to build or rehab and purchase their own decent home with an affordable zero-interest mortgage.

Upcoming Opportunities with Habitat KC:

Resurrection is participating in a very special build this Spring. We will help build a fully accessible home for a young girl, and her family, who experienced a tragedy that left her paralyzed from the neck down. Click HERE to find out more information and to register to volunteer.

Rock the Block Olathe May 21st- Help homeowners in the Lakehurst Neighborhood with minor exterior home repairs such as painting, porch repair, landscaping and more. Click HERE to learn more.

Ongoing Opportunities:

We have a crew, led by Ken Nollen, that volunteers every Wednesday with Habitat for Humanity of Kansas City. To find out more about volunteering with our Resurrection Wednesday crew contact Ken at knollen40@gmail.com

Helping Hands Construction Ministry
Our RezDT Construction ministry is looking for volunteers of all skill levels and from all of our campuses. This ministry meets the first & third Saturdays of each month to help families and Serve Saturday partners that have a little more advanced and time consuming needs then they can address on their own. For info email rezdtconstruction@cor.org.

If you're interested in other housing and construction opportunities please contact Bob at resurrectionhabitat@yahoo.com.

Della Lamb Community Services began in 1897, providing childcare to working Italian immigrant families. As Della Lamb interacted with these low-income families, other vital needs were identified. These services became the forerunner of today’s Emergency Social Services program, meeting the individual needs of families that are a barrier to self-sufficiency. Today, Della Lamb continues to be a valued community partner to thousands of low-income families.

We need volunteers to read to and tutor children, teach ESL classes, prepare housing, help with transportation, and donate supplies and toys for newly arriving refugee families.

If you haven't filled out the cor.org/VolunteerHub application yet, please do so before proceeding.

Next, fill out this form for Della Lamb and return it to Patrick McLaughlin with a statement affirming you've signed up with them as well.

And, if you’d like to know more about Della Lamb and their work with Refugees, use this link to receive invites to their next training session.

You can also check out their Refugee Resettlement Amazon Wishlist.