Major donation saves Christmas for Community Assistance Council

Julie Reid, a volunteer from the Bishop’s Storehouse and Ray Wagner, pantry coordinator for CAC, at the Bishop’s Storehouse.  

Major Donation Saves Christmas for CAC

By Heather Wimmer

Community Assistance Council, (CAC), a nonprofit in south Kansas City that provides emergency assistance and advocacy services for families in need, was facing a serious problem. Their donations were decreasing while their needs were increasing—just in time for the holidays. CAC receives government assistance and private donations from local churches and grocery stores to provide holiday meals for over 250 families each year. This year, the donations from the usual sources weren’t coming through as they usually do.

David Yearout, of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, knew that the funding the church usually has available for CAC and other organizations was spent for the year. After talking to Julie Reid, Programs Coordinator for CAC, however, he applied for a special grant from the church headquartered in Salt Lake City. Just days later, right before Thanksgiving, the grant was approved and Yearout informed Reid that CAC was going to be receiving $5000 in food donations from the church’s Bishop’s Storehouse  in Kansas City. Reid told him it was an answer to their prayers. It is the largest one-time donation they have ever received from a single source.

On November 20, Reid headed to the Bishop’s Storehouse, (similar to a mini Harvesters warehouse)  to pick up her first food order. Now the donation shelves aren’t dwindling, and they will be able to feed many families for Christmas and even into January. Reid is able to continue to place orders each week to assist the more than 350 people that see CAC monthly by appointment for assistance.

Agencies like CAC exist because of the kindness and donations of good people in the community. Please consider visiting their website and giving or volunteering. www.cackc.org.