Blessing Bags for Homeless

Vision: 

Chronic homelessness is a problem that many feel they cannot address beyond the work homeless shelters provide. From the 2025 PIT, Point in Time, snapshot reviewing homelessness in Johnson County, it was reported that 253 people were experiencing homelessness on a single night in the last 10 day of January 2025. Of the people counted experiencing homelessness, about 12.3% were in transitional housing and 28.5% were unsheltered. Also, in Lawrence, Kansas, 589 individuals were documented as experiencing homelessness. This information was provided by the homeless management information system (HMIS) the coordinated entry system (CES) and was collected through the Kansas balance of continuum of care’s HMIS enrollment process. Moreover, there are currently around 2,215 individuals experiencing homelessness in Kansas City, Missouri. Specifically, 876 individuals are unsheltered, and this information was provided by a KCTV5 news report. There are many places in United States that are experiencing homelessness as well, but I chose these three areas to focus on because I thought it would be broad enough that our congregation could utilize where they are located and reach those in these areas. The purpose of making these bags are to help the unsheltered homeless have some of their basic needs met to get through their days so that they can get to a shelter and hopefully work the shelter program and get out of homelessness.

As Christians, we are created and called by God to be Saints. Part of being saints in this world is to see, empathize, meet the needs, and pray for those who are less fortunate- who are overlooked and considered dirty and worthless compared to those functioning in modern society. Scripture point us to how important God views loving Him and loving our neighbors as ourselves, and this is a way we can live our lives in service to others and hopefully let others know there is a God that sees and loves them. I pray these blessing bags will bless all of our hearts and the hearts of others to help encourage them on their journeys.

Cost breakdown:

I would like to collect cash donations for this. Total cost: $270.00

I will shop for content of bags at Walmart and Amazon one week prior to the first weekend of the meeting and bring the items to church kitchen on the first Sunday of the meeting month. We can have the youth assemble the bags on the second weekend (during their evening event after vespers). I would like to do this once a quarter (every three months).

To start, I would like to have 60 bags made. I will print off a total of 60 sheets of homelessness resources for the following areas so people can pick and choose what area fits their situation best: Lawrence, KS, (20) Overland Park, KS (20) and KC MO (20) ETC

We can increase/decrease the number depending on funds/needs.