New school years can be both exciting and a little scary for most students, but for families who struggle with financial insecurity it's even harder to start the school year well. Help students have what they need by taking part in this year's Partner School Support Drive. Bags are available July 10-17 with a lists of needed school supplies for students at our partner schools and also for specific foster children and youth.

You can donate funds directly towards the purchase of uniforms and other needed school items. $40 purchases basic supplies for one student. Donate HERE!

Pre-K Supply List:

Please note preschool on your bag when returning:

• Baby wipes
• Boys' and girls' underwear, 2T-7/8 (this is most needed item at our pre-k partners)
• Book bags - large enough for standard sized folder

Elementary School List:

• Crayola crayons (24 ct.)
• #2 Pencils (Sharpened)
• Pencil box or pouch
• Crayola colored pencils (12 or 24 ct.)
• Crayola broad line washable markers (Classic Colors)
• dry erase markers
• spiral notebooks, single subject, wide-ruled, solid color covers
• composition notebooks, wide-ruled
• glue sticks
• disinfectant wipes
• Ziploc bags, any size
• hand sanitizer
• large box of tissue
• inexpensive earbuds or headphones
• 2 pocket folders, solid colors
• Post-it notes

Download a printable list HERE!

We are also collecting new, GENDER NEUTRAL backpacks for our partner schools at Fairview and Ridgeview.

To learn more about our Partner School and Pre-K initiatives and become a part of our team. Join us at one of our informational meetings. Click HERE for more information.

Be a Backpack Angel!

Kids who are food insecure face additional hardship over the weekends. Resurrection’s Backpacks for Hunger Ministry helps alleviate this issue by providing nutritious, child-friendly food to over 1,800 students a week. Bags of weekend food go to students at Phillips, Rogers, Troost and Wheatley Elementary in KCMO, Quindaro and Welborn in KCK and Ridgeview Elementary in Olathe.

Students who participate in the program receive a bag with items such as cereal, shelf stable milk, fruit cups, soup or pasta and other non-perishable food that is easily prepared. Monthly food costs will range depending on content, but averages approximately $25 per student. You can provide food for a student for a year for $225, or $25/month by dropping a check in the collection plate with "Backpacks for Hunger" noted in the memo line or give online using the link below.

BECOME AN ANGEL HERE!

Another school year is just around the corner and students at our partner schools need you to help them grow and learn and have the best year possible. Adult volunteers are needed who can spend an hour or more a week helping students improve their reading and other academic skills or give a helping hand to busy teachers. If you ever thought about helping out now is the time as many students still need a little extra help to make up for academic time lost during COVID.

Even if you will be gone during the school year due to travel plans you can still be a tutor or help out in other ways, such as volunteering with our bookmobile team. Sign up today to learn more about these great opportunities and we will also help you with the preliminary paperwork.

The meetings will be hybrid, but we encourage you to bring your tablet or laptops and be there in person. We will stay and help you complete or at least get started on any needed online paperwork.

October 5, 10am Room B158: Register HERE!

November 8, 10am Room B158: Register HERE!

At Resurrection's partner schools, 75-100% of students qualify for the free/reduced lunch program. These students depend on their school lunch and breakfast programs for the majority of their nutrition needs during the week but don't have this option over the weekend. Our Backpacks for Hunger program provides nutritious food to help students get through the weekend and return to school on Monday ready to focus on their schoolwork.

Ready to participate? Groups and individuals can serve at the weekly fills. Fills typically take place on Wednesday afternoons, beginning at 4pm and last up to 90 minutes. The work requires a lot of walking as we fill around 1,500 bags each week. Children aged nine and up are welcome with one adult for every three children. If your group would like to participate in an upcoming fill event contact Edee at Serve.Backpacks@cor.org for more information and to register. Individuals can learn more and register here.

Other ways to serve:

• Backpack Angel: Resurrection’s Backpacks for Hunger Ministry helps alleviate this issue by providing nutritious, child-friendly food to over 1,500 students a week. Students who participate in the program receive a bag with items such as cereal, a box of shelf stable milk, cup of fruit, can of soup and other non-perishable food that is easily prepared. You can provide food for a student for a year for $225, or $25/month. Give online and become a Backpack Angel.

• Deliver Backpacks: Thursdays, 8am-12pm. Requires heavy lifting and possibly driving the church's box truck. Contact Roberta Lyle - roberta.lyle@cor.org

• Pick-up Empty Tubs: Tuesdays 7am -1pm from Elementary Schools. Requires moderate lifting and possibly driving the church's box truck. Contact Bruce Gaddis at deliveryteam@cor.org
  

• Do a Peanut Butter Drive: Peanut butter is a great source of non-perishable protein that can be used for quick meals, so families receive a small jar of peanut butter every month in addition to the usual food. Collect donations of non-glass, 14-16 oz containers of peanut butter. Please do not provide larger jars as these make the bags too heavy for some of the smaller kids and our delivery team. This is a great way to support this ministry and help struggling families at times when kids don’t have access to school meals. Contact Roberta Lyle for more information - roberta.lyle@cor.org.

• Pray for the Children: Each week as they receive the supplemental weekend food.

All activities take place at Resurrection Leawood Campus, Building A, Lower Level Mission Space.

One way to get involved and help move the needle is to advocate for Early Childhood Education policies that support our goals.

Take action now:

Kansas

• Kansas Action for Children – Intro to Advocacy
• Contact your local representative - Legislator Lookup for Kansas
• 2020 Child Care Supply-Demand Report and Interactive Map - Learn more about the different types of childcare available, rates for part-time and full-time care, census data, and other key data on a county-level.

Missouri

• Register for Missouri Child Advocacy Day - March 10
  Missouri Child Advocacy Day is an annual event that brings together advocates from around the state to meet with legislators and advocate for policies that uplift Missouri children and their families.
  Online Rally and Day of Action: March 10
  Online Child Advocacy Workshops: March 8-12
• Kids Win Missouri – Support Federal Child Care Relief
• Contact your local representative - Legislator Lookup for Missouri

The following agencies have advocacy platforms that relate to our initiative -

• Kids Win Missouri
• Kansas Action for Children
• The Family Conservancy
• Mid-America Regional Council (MARC)

Please note that these agencies may not share our exact priorities and we do not endorse any particular political action. We offer you these agencies as a starting point for your own research and to introduce you to a few of the organizations you can follow and participate in. Additionally, if you know of other advocacy agencies that can assist us with our strategies and help us accomplish our goals, please contact Roberta Lyle at Roberta.Lyle@cor.org.

Church of the Resurrection believes strongly in the power of education. Nelson Mandela stated, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” The best tool to defeat future poverty is to equip the next generation to learn and lead. This is why we at Resurrection believe in supporting children & schools here in Kansas City and around the world.

Our Global Partner Schools

• Juan Wesley School - Ciudad Espana, Honduras
• Ditshego Preschool & Open School - Centurion, South Africa
• Malawi Methodist Preschools - Malawi

Change the trajectory of a child’s life by supporting them at one of our global partner schools - Learn more about global partner school sponsorship opportunities.

Join the team of drivers and volunteers that keep the bookmobile rolling and help kids select books to keep and enjoy.

Drivers typically serve for 4-5 hours during regular business hours and occasionally some evenings and weekends. Serve as often or as little as your schedule allows. Must be 21 years of age with good driving record. Please contact Linda Warne to learn more about driving our bookmobile.

Bookmobile volunteers help students in need select a "just right" book they can keep and add to their home libraries. Contact Ann Carter to learn how you can serve with the Resurrection Bookmobile.

To get involved, fill out this Volunteer Application and choose "Partner Schools" as your area of interest.

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

Now recruiting Bless the Teacher note writers!

Bless the Teacher is a ministry where volunteers write a monthly note of encouragement to a staff member at one of our Partner Schools. If you enjoy writing brief notes of support that will brighten and bless someone's day, this ministry is perfect for you! The commitment is monthly, September - May.

Please contact with questions or to volunteer, Roni Ahlenius, trahlenius@gmail.com or Linda Briscoe, lbriscoe3@gmail.com.

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.

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.

Intro to Cultural Competency Training

Cultural Competency training is required before serving in ongoing Kansas City Mission programs in order to provide a safe environment for all those we serve. Empowering and educational, this training will provide each participant with a heightened awareness about our neighbors and cross-cultural interactions. Those who need this training may be interested in serving on the bookmobile, at the food pantry, as a tutor, or in a classroom at one of our partner schools. Additionally, individuals who are interested in serving with our partner organizations should plan to take this training.

2022 Training Dates

All sessions will take place over Zoom. Seating is limited and classes not meeting a minimum size may be rescheduled.

• August 20 | Saturday | 1:00-3:00 pm
  
• September 17 | Saturday | 1:00-3:00 pm
• September 21 | Wednesday | 10:00 -12:00 pm
• October 15 | Saturday | 1:00-3:00 pm
• November 9 | Wednesday | 10:00 -12:00 pm
• January 21 | Saturday | 1:00-3:00 pm

Register For 2022 Trainings

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 can begin that process by filling out a volunteer application here.

Questions? Please contact Pastor Patrick McLaughlin - patrick.mclaughlin@cor.org