Latest / Our Community, Our Mission / Ep #291 – A Season of Hope: Faith, Food, and Community at TRM

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Ep #291 – A Season of Hope: Faith, Food, and Community at TRM · Our Community, Our Mission

0:00
SPEAKER_00: Gracious Heavenly Father, we thank you, Lord, for this day and your blessings in this time.
0:04
SPEAKER_00: Uh, Lord, just to um discuss all the things going on here at the mission and Lord in the community.
0:09
SPEAKER_00: Uh Lord, pray that your blessing over this conversation and Lord, the ears that would hear it would be uh prompted to action and uh moved by your spirit.
0:15
SPEAKER_00: God, we love you.
0:16
SPEAKER_00: We praise your name.
0:17
SPEAKER_00: Amen.
0:24
SPEAKER_04: And hello, everybody.
0:26
SPEAKER_04: Thank you for joining us for our Community Our Mission, a podcast of the Topeka Rescue Mission here on this election day Tuesday, November 4th, 2025, here in Topeka, Kansas, and other places as well.
0:36
SPEAKER_04: I'm your host, Barry Feeker, here today.
0:38
SPEAKER_04: We've got Marion Crable, who is the Director of Supportive Services at Topeka Rescue Mission.
0:43
SPEAKER_04: I am.
0:44
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, we're gonna talk about some fun stuff today, but we're gonna talk about some hard stuff as well.
0:47
SPEAKER_03: You know, it's it's uh it's all pretty um interesting right now.
0:51
SPEAKER_04: Very interesting, isn't it?
0:53
SPEAKER_04: Interesting.
0:53
SPEAKER_04: Globally interesting.
0:54
SPEAKER_04: Absolutely.
0:55
SPEAKER_04: But even locally interesting.
0:56
SPEAKER_04: Got John Roberts, who is our uh Deputy Director of Community Needs and Services, been on the podcast a number of times.
1:01
SPEAKER_04: Good morning, John.
1:02
SPEAKER_01: Good morning.
1:03
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
1:03
SPEAKER_04: And Scott Bryant, who is uh assistant director of distribution services here at Speaker Rescue Mission.
1:08
SPEAKER_04: You've also been here on our podcast before.
1:10
SPEAKER_04: Uh yes, sir.
1:11
SPEAKER_04: Good morning.
1:11
SPEAKER_04: Good to have you here.
1:12
SPEAKER_04: So we want to talk about Christmas.
1:15
SPEAKER_04: We're just gonna jump right in here today.
1:16
SPEAKER_04: But before we do this, straight to Christmas.
1:18
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, Christmas.
1:19
SPEAKER_03: I mean, we'll just jump in right over Thanksgiving.
1:22
SPEAKER_04: Um okay.
1:23
SPEAKER_04: What do you want to say about Thanksgiving?
1:25
SPEAKER_04: It's coming.
1:26
SPEAKER_04: It's coming fast, and Christmas is coming fast too.
1:29
SPEAKER_04: But you know, what's on everybody's minds right now is hunger.
1:32
SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
1:32
SPEAKER_04: Um, and so we want to spend a little bit of time this morning talking about what's happening because of the government shutdown.
1:39
SPEAKER_04: Uh there has been um just this kind of clock ticking towards November when uh the SNAP benefits were going to come to an end nationwide.
1:51
SPEAKER_04: Uh for those that don't know what SNAP is, it's supplemental nutrition assistance program.
1:56
SPEAKER_04: It's been around a long time.
1:57
SPEAKER_04: You used to call it food stamps.
1:59
SPEAKER_04: And so um, Miriam, uh John, you guys have been really working on this uh with Lamanda and many others in the community.
2:06
SPEAKER_04: Tell us what um the concerns have been and then what's been the response or the action to be taken to try to help people who might be in pretty big trouble financially without the food.
2:19
SPEAKER_03: So I'll start with the concerns and then John can jump into the what's being done kind of thing.
2:25
SPEAKER_03: Because, you know, Barry, I am reminded of Operation Food Secure and all of this.
2:30
SPEAKER_03: And so there is a lot of beautiful things happening in the midst of what feels like chaos.
2:35
SPEAKER_04: Talk about Operation Food Secure for those that don't know what that is.
2:38
SPEAKER_03: Operation Food Secure happened during COVID when farmers were finding that they didn't have anywhere to take their produce.
2:45
SPEAKER_03: Um farmers, all different kinds of produce kinds of things, as well as other food sources, right?
2:51
SPEAKER_03: People weren't putting it.
2:52
SPEAKER_03: Because everything shut down, restaurants were shut down, events weren't happening, there was just a lot of excess food.
2:57
SPEAKER_03: And instead of then having that food, particularly the produce, um uh destroyed basically.
3:06
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, they were gonna have to put it in the ground.
3:08
SPEAKER_04: Right.
3:08
SPEAKER_03: They were gonna just mow it down, kind of thing.
3:11
SPEAKER_03: The federal government, FDA or USDA, um came up with a program to get that food out to people.
3:18
SPEAKER_03: And TRM was a critical high.
3:23
SPEAKER_03: The farmers and also get food to people.
3:25
SPEAKER_03: So it was a big deal.
3:26
SPEAKER_03: It was a big very big deal.
3:27
SPEAKER_03: We were doing six thousand boxes of food a week, you know.
3:30
SPEAKER_03: Six thousand a week.
3:31
SPEAKER_03: A week, yeah.
3:32
SPEAKER_03: In ten different counties.
3:34
SPEAKER_03: In ten different counties, lots of volunteers.
3:36
SPEAKER_03: So this is similar.
3:38
SPEAKER_03: So the situation right now is as of November 1st, um the SNAP benefits were going to be suspended because we didn't have a budget yet, right, at the federal level.
3:51
SPEAKER_03: And so that in here in Shawnee County was going to impact over 8,300 households, over 15,000 people that now would not have the same sort of resource to be able to purchase food for their families, for themselves, et cetera.
4:07
SPEAKER_03: And that's a big deal because hunger is already an issue because of the cost of food um having gone up significantly and people just not being able to have what they need.
4:19
SPEAKER_03: So making choices on do I buy food, do I buy medication, do I put gas in my car to go to work?
4:25
SPEAKER_03: You know, all those kinds of difficult um decisions that people were already making.
4:30
SPEAKER_03: And now we have this situation where SNAP benefits are uh gonna be suspended.
4:36
SPEAKER_03: So as of right now, and honestly, Barry, it's like it changes so fast every single day.
4:42
SPEAKER_03: So right um a few days ago, a couple of uh federal judges um put out an injunction saying the federal government cannot stop SNAP.
4:53
SPEAKER_03: And um, so it has now come back that they have been ordered to utilize contingency funds.
5:00
SPEAKER_03: So I think all of us think about it as that rainy day fund um to fund SNAP.
5:07
SPEAKER_03: Um, that we cannot have people going hungry with basically no notice and no other alternatives.
5:13
SPEAKER_03: Um now what we heard yesterday was last night I think it was, um, was that they are going to partially fund SNAP.
5:23
SPEAKER_03: The thing we still don't know is what does partial mean.
5:26
SPEAKER_03: Uh the other thing we don't know is how quickly will those funds, once a decision is made, how quickly will those funds actually get to recipients.
5:37
SPEAKER_03: So we're anticipating there could be a two to three week lag on that those monies once they're determined and approved to actually get to people.
5:46
SPEAKER_03: So in the meantime, um organizations have been trying to figure out, those of us who are in the food business are trying to figure out what we do.
5:56
SPEAKER_03: And John can share with you some of the things that United Way has done uh to pull partners together to try to figure out how do we best address this and not have people panicked and feeling um lost in terms of how are they gonna feed themselves and their families, because we know when that happens, it can bring about a lot of things other than just hunger, which is negative behaviors, because people are panicked on how they're gonna feed their family.
6:26
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, you know, uh I think uh your your equating it to Operational Food Secure is good because um on a number of levels um the uh private sector and then eventually some businesses came together to be able to say, no, this is not okay.
6:40
SPEAKER_04: Right.
6:41
SPEAKER_04: And so there was some quick action that was taken.
6:43
SPEAKER_04: I mean really quick action uh to be able to get food to people.
6:47
SPEAKER_04: And so that is what has happened um once again with different entities, Topeka Rescue Mission being one of those, um coordinated, I guess, through United Way um here in Topeka with different agencies say let's examine what's the problem, let's see what we can do quickly.
7:03
SPEAKER_04: All that said is that the amount of need and the amount of dollars, you can't replace all that with just local food.
7:11
SPEAKER_03: Right.
7:12
SPEAKER_04: Um when we're talking about, and I know the numbers have have have changed uh to some degree, but maybe$130,000 a day of food support had been coming through a federal program into Topekashawnee County every single day.
7:26
SPEAKER_04: Well, you add that up, you know, we're talking about millions of dollars a month, and so um the local food banks can't do all of that.
7:33
SPEAKER_04: What can they do?
7:34
SPEAKER_03: And so Well, Barry, and one more thing on that.
7:37
SPEAKER_03: This is not just the people experiencing hunger that will be impacted by this.
7:41
SPEAKER_03: This also impacts grocery stores and farmers and so on.
7:47
SPEAKER_03: If there is no one able to buy food, it has a trickle-down effect or trickle-up effect, whichever direction you want to go with it.
7:55
SPEAKER_03: Um so it's it's bigger than just the really heart-tugging thing, which is we have people that are hungry.
8:04
SPEAKER_03: But you know, if people then, if businesses are not able to um sell what their goods are, the possibility then of laying off people.
8:14
SPEAKER_03: You know, I mean, when you start to think about how many ramifications there can be just because of this, it's significant.
8:22
SPEAKER_04: Multiple economic impacts, not just on the people who are experiencing hunger.
8:27
SPEAKER_03: Which is critical.
8:28
SPEAKER_04: It's critical.
8:28
SPEAKER_04: It all it all, yeah, we're we're kind of all connected here.
8:31
SPEAKER_04: So but the good news is that there has been a coming together of the different organizations that are in this space, uh, large distributors of uh food support and small ones networking together.
8:44
SPEAKER_04: John, talk about what's happening there.
8:45
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, absolutely.
8:46
SPEAKER_01: It's um, you know, one of the the great things that has um kind of been spurned on by all of this is just people coming together, um sitting down at the same table and trying to figure out what are we gonna do here, um, trying to keep the community in the center of those conversations.
9:04
SPEAKER_01: So um, you know, not every organization worried about, well, how are we gonna run our program?
9:09
SPEAKER_01: But thinking about um our friends, our neighbors, the people who live down the street from us, um, how are we going to care for them and make sure that they're provided for?
9:20
SPEAKER_04: I think that's a really important point because um every entity, every organization that's doing good works in the community has got their mission to be able to do it their way.
9:29
SPEAKER_04: What's happened, if I understand it correctly, now everybody's putting their mission together and sharing those resources.
9:34
SPEAKER_04: And if I looked at the charts right, uh Topeka Rescue Mission has some smaller food banks that it's gonna try to help out and network with those smaller food banks and some others uh they're gonna do the same thing with with some uh smaller ones.
9:46
SPEAKER_04: So it's not less like, well, sorry, that little church pantry over there, you know, you're out of food.
9:51
SPEAKER_04: Uh you can call who you're connected to call with and say, hey, we've got a big need over here.
9:56
SPEAKER_04: Do you guys have any supply?
9:58
SPEAKER_04: Right.
9:58
SPEAKER_04: That that's that's super networking.
10:00
SPEAKER_04: Absolutely.
10:01
SPEAKER_04: And uh that's the way it's always supposed to be, really, anyway.
10:03
SPEAKER_04: And so sometimes these things push us into that kind of a action.
10:07
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
10:07
SPEAKER_01: And that and so that's been um, you know, in in this kind of really dark and troubling time, that has been encouraging to see people come together.
10:17
SPEAKER_01: And so there have already been um, you know, ongoing as as the November 1st date approached, and now since it has passed, um, just conversations of what are we gonna do, really creative solutions trying to um trying to come up with and how are we gonna implement them, uh trying to you know iron out all the the logistical nitty-gritty, which is sometimes the fun part and sometimes the part that makes you want to rip your hair out.
10:41
SPEAKER_01: But um, yeah, so some things are developing just so that we can, especially with our food pantry distribution out of uh the distribution center here.
10:50
SPEAKER_01: How can we um continue that program, but also how can we anticipate this increased need that we might see as um food becomes really scarce for some of the people.
11:02
SPEAKER_04: And we're only four days into this now, as far as the official stopping of the benefits.
11:06
SPEAKER_04: So it's a lot of unknown, and as Miriam already uh pointed out, there has been some decisions made at the uh the court level to go ahead and say that's money is okay to release, um, but it's a partial, and we don't know what partial then is when it's gonna come.
11:20
SPEAKER_04: So it's it's one of those things, again, uh the crystal ball is pretty cloudy, and uh we do we just don't know exactly what we're looking at.
11:27
SPEAKER_04: But being ready the best we can for worst case scenario, hopefully it doesn't come.
11:31
SPEAKER_04: Also, Topeka Rescue Mission has uh then uh expanded its uh prepared meal service program, right?
11:38
SPEAKER_04: Talk about that.
11:39
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, that's another thing that we um have just tried to jump to just to make sure that people have food to eat.
11:45
SPEAKER_01: And so um, you know, for some years now we have served a community dinner every night that just anyone in the community who is experiencing food insecurity can come to and they can get a hot prepared meal.
11:57
SPEAKER_01: Um and so uh just starting yesterday, we have also started offering a community lunch.
12:03
SPEAKER_01: And so that is and going to be in operation um, you know, at this time in an ongoing um fashion every weekday at noon, and then on weekends it'll be at 11 a.m.
12:14
SPEAKER_01: So our weekend community meals are just an hour um earlier than on during the weekdays.
12:19
SPEAKER_04: So if somebody wants to uh come by for a meal, you list of the times and the days, where would they go?
12:25
SPEAKER_01: Yep.
12:26
SPEAKER_01: Uh we are serve those meals uh out of Shingle Stutzman Park, which is uh our park just on the east side of our main shelter building at 600 North Kansas Avenue.
12:35
SPEAKER_01: And so anybody, whether um it's you know for our unsheltered neighbors who need access to food, also just for people in the community, um, can come up and they'll get a hot tray, they'll get a get a beverage and be able uh to get a lunch, and then they could come back in the evening and get a dinner.
12:52
SPEAKER_04: So somebody doesn't have to say, hey, I lost my snap benefits to get a meal.
12:55
SPEAKER_04: If you show up and you're hungry, there's gonna be you'll be fed.
12:58
SPEAKER_04: You'll be fed.
12:59
SPEAKER_04: Okay.
12:59
SPEAKER_04: That's awesome.
13:00
SPEAKER_04: Well, that's also great, but it also means you need more food and volunteers.
13:06
SPEAKER_04: And so let's talk about the food piece first.
13:08
SPEAKER_04: I know that the uh as we saw the clock ticking in the community and the nation, different groups were having conversation.
13:14
SPEAKER_04: What are we gonna do proactively here in Topeka because of a great network that's been happening for a long, long time, but kind of really kicked into high gear during the pandemic, did it, Miriam?
13:24
SPEAKER_04: It did.
13:24
SPEAKER_04: Um and so uh bringing it together, bringing it to the table, doing the the 11th hour uh uh meetings and strategizing and so forth, and the peel went out.
13:35
SPEAKER_04: And so there has been some different groups in the community, and harvesters being one, um, that has uh jumped up to the plate.
13:44
SPEAKER_04: And so, Scott, uh you and I were talking right before we started here.
13:47
SPEAKER_04: How are things looking supply-wise at the distribution center um since the word went out?
13:53
SPEAKER_02: Um, I think with our community and with harvesters, they have been really, really blessing us with some amazing stuff, and they have just really, really stepped up their game.
14:01
SPEAKER_02: Our shelves look really good, and um I'm really confident they're gonna stay that way.
14:06
SPEAKER_04: So you know, typically, as I recall, having been here for a few years, October was a time when our food was about as low as it gets.
14:13
SPEAKER_04: We had the summer and people were getting back into school with September and people on vacations, and people weren't thinking about people in need, and we generally had to say, hey, we need some help, you know, sometime in October to get ready for winter and Christmas.
14:28
SPEAKER_04: Uh that's happened now uh that those uh shelves are filling back up um because of the awareness in the community of people in need, which is awesome.
14:40
SPEAKER_04: Now that's it.
14:42
SPEAKER_04: Those shelves could get depleted very quickly now.
14:45
SPEAKER_04: Um and so it's not like hey, uh one and done here.
14:48
SPEAKER_04: And so um, you know, John, what what are you thinking about that?
14:51
SPEAKER_04: What what is uh what are you telling the team?
14:53
SPEAKER_04: Uh what are you communicating?
14:55
SPEAKER_04: I mean, you're serving more meals um out of the kitchen uh in Schinkel Stutzman Park for more people who would uh be in need of a prepared meal.
15:04
SPEAKER_04: Uh food baskets are um are bound to go up, probably already are from what I understand, of people coming by and needing help.
15:11
SPEAKER_04: Again, we're only four days into this.
15:13
SPEAKER_04: What would you say to the community to be aware of, to just not have the false expectation, oh, snap's coming back in, you know, it's only partial, and you know, rescue mission's full of food in the in the shelves right now.
15:24
SPEAKER_04: What would you say to folks to maybe think um be prepared for more?
15:30
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I would just uh you know ask everybody to to think kind of how maybe it is at their house, right?
15:36
SPEAKER_01: You go get a grocery, uh, get a grocery order, and your shelves look good.
15:42
SPEAKER_01: And then a couple days later you're like, oh, need to go back and maybe start, you know, thinking of what um what needs you have and start making that new grocery list.
15:50
SPEAKER_01: And so it's gonna be similar for um, you know, so many folks in our community that it's great that we can um get them a meal, and we definitely want to be doing that on an ongoing basis.
16:02
SPEAKER_01: But um, you know, I don't know about you, but I like to eat three meals a day and I like to eat those three meals every day.
16:08
SPEAKER_04: And so And sometimes, sometimes just uh when we uh uh can't wait for the next one, we supplement.
16:14
SPEAKER_01: That's right.
16:14
SPEAKER_04: Snacks, that's right, called snacks, that's right.
16:17
SPEAKER_01: And so just that this is going to be an ongoing thing.
16:20
SPEAKER_01: And um, you know, we we especially for these prepared mood uh prepared meals that we're gonna serve out of our kitchen uh at the park there, that those are gonna happen every single day.
16:32
SPEAKER_01: We continue to uh have our regular need of feeding all of our shelter guests three times a day.
16:38
SPEAKER_01: Um and uh, you know, our food distribution uh happens twice a week.
16:42
SPEAKER_01: And so um, you know, right now uh Scott is 100% right.
16:47
SPEAKER_01: We are just so blessed to see people stepping up, both our partners, people in the community, donors, um, and we are so appreciative of that.
16:54
SPEAKER_01: And I would just ask that people continue um not just to think of us, but to think of the community because we're gonna kind of continue to need people to um to give money if they're able, to give food, if they're able, or to come and maybe give their time to help um us facilitate all this because uh you know we have a uh distribution going on right now, and we're gonna have another one in two days, and then we'll come back next week and keep it rolling.
17:20
SPEAKER_04: It takes manpower to do all that.
17:21
SPEAKER_04: And so whether you're working in the kitchen or you're working at the distribution center, you're working on that line where you're handing out the food baskets, it just takes a lot of people.
17:29
SPEAKER_04: And there's always a need for more volunteers.
17:32
SPEAKER_04: Always a need for more volunteers.
17:33
SPEAKER_04: Got some great ones.
17:34
SPEAKER_04: Uh need more.
17:36
SPEAKER_04: And so, John, if somebody is interested in giving financially, bringing food by or and or volunteering, what would you tell them?
17:43
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, for bringing food by, uh, our distribution center is open at 401 Northwest Norris every weekday between 8 to 3.45 p.m.
17:52
SPEAKER_01: Um so people are always welcome to go and bring food down there.
17:56
SPEAKER_01: Um after those hours, people can bring food right to our kitchen.
18:00
SPEAKER_01: Our kitchen.
18:00
SPEAKER_01: Uh normally we have staff in there till at least about 7.30 p.m.
18:04
SPEAKER_01: And so things can be brought to the back door at our main shelter building.
18:08
SPEAKER_01: Um, and uh they can receive it there, and then we can get it where it needs to be.
18:12
SPEAKER_01: Um as far as financially and with time, I would encourage people just to go to our website and uh there are places there to do giving uh if folks are are able and led and also uh just volunteer opportunities.
18:26
SPEAKER_01: So encourage people to check out that page, see what opportunities there are.
18:30
SPEAKER_01: Um and what you know, one great thing is sometimes people, you know, people are able to do different things.
18:36
SPEAKER_01: Maybe you could help uh prepare a meal, maybe you could come and help um serve a meal, but also I think this time is so important just to still focus on connection, that there are so much, there's logistics and trying to get everything done and make sure all the work is done and we're spreading ourselves a little thinner to be able to do more.
18:56
SPEAKER_01: Um, but what we don't want to miss while we're doing that is that people are coming and there are our neighbors and people in our community, and they're gonna be sitting there at a table eating a meal or coming and getting a bag of groceries.
19:11
SPEAKER_01: And so really I would just encourage folks that come out, and even if your job is just being in the park or being in the dining hall or um helping out and just talking to people, connecting with them at a time when uh, as Miriam shared earlier, it can be it's gonna be harder and harder for people not to panic, not to feel desperate, not to wonder what is gonna happen to me.
19:34
SPEAKER_01: Just having someone there to look them in the eye and talk to them, maybe pray for them if they're wanting to do that.
19:41
SPEAKER_01: Um is just so important.
19:43
SPEAKER_01: And just to know they're not, you know, they're not alone in this.
19:46
SPEAKER_01: There are people who care who are giving their time um to come and and be in part of this this lunch that they're in and uh or dinner or whatever it is.
19:55
SPEAKER_01: And so we just encourage people also just to consider signing up and doing that and just connecting with um our neighbors.
20:01
SPEAKER_04: John, I'm so glad you mentioned that part because it is people, not just uh hunger.
20:06
SPEAKER_04: Um people get hungry, but they need more than food.
20:09
SPEAKER_04: They need food, but they also need um connection and they need to know that somebody cares and and uh I'm I'm sure they do.
20:16
SPEAKER_04: Um, but uh we don't know what everybody's going through and the kind of the different things that are happening.
20:20
SPEAKER_04: And so if you are a person who maybe uh um is a good connector, maybe you've got a good smile.
20:26
SPEAKER_04: Come and volunteer to smile.
20:28
SPEAKER_03: Absolutely.
20:29
SPEAKER_04: Bring joy.
20:30
SPEAKER_04: So uh we're gonna pivot, uh, but just uh one last thing.
20:32
SPEAKER_04: We're talking about um approximately 80,300 households that we're um looking at where are in jeopardy right now.
20:40
SPEAKER_04: Uh maybe about 16 uh uh thousand or more people in uh in Shawnee County, and of that uh 6,500 to 7,000 are children.
20:50
SPEAKER_04: And so uh keep in mind that uh people are working together.
20:53
SPEAKER_04: People will say, Well, gosh, mission always asking for stuff.
20:56
SPEAKER_04: Uh yeah, it is.
20:58
SPEAKER_04: Because uh as long as there's a need, there's gonna be an ask, and then there's gonna be an opportunity.
21:02
SPEAKER_04: And so when the need stops, I got a feeling initial quit asking.
21:06
SPEAKER_03: We probably will.
21:07
SPEAKER_04: It may not happen for a bit though, right, Gary?
21:09
SPEAKER_03: I'm guessing maybe not.
21:10
SPEAKER_04: So let's pivot to Christmas.
21:12
SPEAKER_04: And there's gonna be a number of asks there and opportunities to uh to help out.
21:17
SPEAKER_04: So um this was not perfect timing.
21:19
SPEAKER_04: There never is perfect timing for any kind of a national or local issue that affects um homelessness or uh hunger or anything like that, but it's here.
21:28
SPEAKER_04: But Christmas still gonna happen.
21:30
SPEAKER_03: Christmas is still gonna happen, and it is a wonderful time.
21:33
SPEAKER_03: I know that it can feel so stressful for everybody, whether you are working here at the mission or whether you are at home trying to figure out how are you doing Christmas this year.
21:43
SPEAKER_03: It can be such a stressful time, but there is incredible opportunities for joy all along the way.
21:49
SPEAKER_04: So, how so?
21:50
SPEAKER_03: Well, uh we get to adopt a lot of people, right?
21:55
SPEAKER_03: So we partner with Christmas Bureau and adopt probably around 600 people from them that we get to then pull gifts for, put gifts together for, and deliver those gifts to people.
22:07
SPEAKER_03: So we get to see their faces, um, which is such a beautiful time for our staff that we we don't just have to do the work, we actually get to see the benefits of our work and be able to make that connection that John was just talking about when you get to have a time with our guests or our neighbors.
22:24
SPEAKER_03: Um, and there's incredible opportunities too, because we are also serving the 250 plus people that stay at the mission and um our unsheltered neighbors.
22:34
SPEAKER_03: Um, there's all these people that we get this opportunity to bring joy to because everybody should be able to understand the reason that Christmas is happening and feel the joy that all of us want to feel at that time.
22:48
SPEAKER_04: So it takes a team, takes uh organization.
22:51
SPEAKER_04: Uh John, uh this gets to fall into your uh department, uh, as well as the community needs on all of this.
22:58
SPEAKER_04: And so what are you doing um in regards to different approaches to this?
23:03
SPEAKER_04: Uh Miriam talked about delivering and adopting from the Christmas Bureau.
23:07
SPEAKER_04: Um, but what are what are some of the different things that are going to happen practically that people might like to know about and maybe even volunteer for those?
23:16
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
23:17
SPEAKER_01: Uh we definitely like to um we want to make the holidays a special time.
23:22
SPEAKER_01: Um and so you know, that is just such an important part, I think, of our of our American culture, right, is to is to kind of celebrate the holidays.
23:30
SPEAKER_01: And so we want to make sure that all of our guests who stay in our shelter that they um are blessed at Christmas time, you know, that we are really able to make them feel special, to make them feel valued.
23:42
SPEAKER_01: Um, you know, we want people to know like you are worth taking the time to to get you a gift.
23:48
SPEAKER_01: And we want to make sure that we're not just taking a bunch of stuff and throwing it in a bag and say, hey, here's this.
23:54
SPEAKER_01: Hope it's you know, hope you like it.
23:55
SPEAKER_01: We're doing our job.
23:56
SPEAKER_01: Just go have Merry Merry Christmas.
23:58
SPEAKER_01: Right.
23:59
SPEAKER_01: So we have um some really cool uh opportunities to to really personalize that.
24:05
SPEAKER_01: And so um, you know, one volunteer opportunity is that we have folks right now who are just coming during mealtimes to uh kind of go through a survey with our guests and just figure out what kind of things are interested in.
24:17
SPEAKER_01: What are what what do you like?
24:19
SPEAKER_01: Um kind of, you know, maybe here are some things.
24:22
SPEAKER_01: What would you like as a Christmas gift?
24:24
SPEAKER_04: Why is that important?
24:25
SPEAKER_01: That's important because um again, it just personalizes it.
24:30
SPEAKER_01: It makes us know like we want to value what's actually going to be practical to you and what actually is going to really bring you delight and joy, right?
24:39
SPEAKER_01: It's not just a generic something in the bag that we gave for everybody, and there's you know, kind of no thought put in, just here you go.
24:46
SPEAKER_04: Um, but it's back to that connection thing you were talking about.
24:49
SPEAKER_04: It's um this is a person here.
24:51
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
24:51
SPEAKER_04: Um yeah, we got some stuff in the bag, but you know what?
24:54
SPEAKER_04: Uh we heard what you uh were asking for and we did the very best we could to meet that need.
24:59
SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.
25:00
SPEAKER_01: And so we've we've had great feedback.
25:02
SPEAKER_01: Uh the past couple of years, we've kind of done that survey uh method during meal time and have just got really great feedback with people just getting to talk to people.
25:10
SPEAKER_01: You know, hey, what's your name?
25:11
SPEAKER_01: Um, tell me a little bit about yourself, what kind of things are you interested in?
25:14
SPEAKER_01: And that has spurred on some really great conversation and really great connection.
25:19
SPEAKER_01: Um, and so from our distributions team standpoint, we will then take that information and we will do our best uh with the generosity of the community, bringing in donations.
25:28
SPEAKER_01: We have wish lists and all the all of that online, um, that we're going to try and do an intentional gift for every uh man, woman, and child in our shelter and uh make sure that on Christmas that we can bless them with a gift, that it's gonna have their name on it, you know, and that it's gonna be something that hopefully will um be of value to them and be of use to them.
25:50
SPEAKER_01: Um along with that, we also want to remember our unsheltered neighbors.
25:54
SPEAKER_01: Um and so we uh are excited to have a partnership with MAP where we're gonna be putting on a Christmas party uh there right towards Christmas and also be able to give gifts for our unsheltered neighbors who are receiving services through the Mobile Access Partnership and then Christmas Bureau, right?
26:12
SPEAKER_01: Our folks in the community.
26:14
SPEAKER_01: So a lot of things.
26:15
SPEAKER_04: I want to say um having uh some of the responsibility for MAP to be happening and and uh just to hear the planning that you put into this uh when we sat down the other day with Jenny and just to hear all the thoughtfulness that you guys are doing um for not only people staying at the rescue mission and through the Christmas Bureau, but for those folks who are living on the streets um that are coming to this place that they find safety and rest and trust in, and then the rescue mission coming over and blessing them in such a special way.
26:47
SPEAKER_04: And it's um it's huge.
26:48
SPEAKER_04: It's really huge.
26:49
SPEAKER_04: And and so uh, you know, that that's just a group that could be, yeah, we got plenty of people to take care of, but we're gonna do that too.
26:56
SPEAKER_04: So that I really, really appreciate that.
26:58
SPEAKER_04: There's gonna be some different uh activities and events for kids.
27:01
SPEAKER_04: Um, so it's not just on Christmas Day, there's other things leading up.
27:05
SPEAKER_04: Uh tell us about one or two of those.
27:07
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
27:08
SPEAKER_01: We're gonna also have um some parties at our shelter.
27:11
SPEAKER_01: So shelter parties for our men's guests.
27:13
SPEAKER_01: We're gonna have one over at the Hope Center uh for our families and children.
27:16
SPEAKER_01: Um we are also really blessed to have a partnership with Walmart where Walmart comes in, they throw a party for our Hope Center kids.
27:23
SPEAKER_04: And they really do a good job.
27:24
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, they you know, they have the Walmart has the connection with toys, and so that's always a really fun time uh just to come in and make sure that our our Hope Center children um just have a festive environment there during Christmas.
27:37
SPEAKER_01: Um and um so gonna be a lot of opportunities for that.
27:41
SPEAKER_01: So it also encourage people to be looking into maybe coming and um helping at the party.
27:46
SPEAKER_01: You know, those those are always great opportunities.
27:48
SPEAKER_04: There's different times in in uh in communities or our nation when something happens that we just said, okay, we're not doing that.
27:55
SPEAKER_04: Um Rescue Mission does not think that way.
27:58
SPEAKER_04: I'm thinking uh as you're talking here, I'm thinking back to 9-11 um when everything was on halt, but Topeka Rescue Mission said no, we're not halting here.
28:09
SPEAKER_04: Um we're moving forward.
28:10
SPEAKER_04: When so many things were shut down, I was thinking, you know, people in my neighborhood, it's um a lot of people like to decorate at Christmas time, and there was hardly a decoration out right after 9-11.
28:20
SPEAKER_04: Uh-huh.
28:20
SPEAKER_04: Then the next year, some more and more and more.
28:22
SPEAKER_04: Topeka Rescue Mission couldn't say, No, we're not gonna do anything.
28:25
SPEAKER_04: And and then of course the pandemic, you know, shut down, shut down.
28:28
SPEAKER_04: Nope, not TRM had do it different because of a lot of factors for health.
28:32
SPEAKER_04: But Scott, you um um you've been on the recipient end of uh Christmas at the mission before, um, and now you're in the position of helping others.
28:42
SPEAKER_04: Talk about what this means to you to have been a recipient of those services before, and now you're actually um assistant director of distribution services helping other people.
28:53
SPEAKER_02: I think one of the biggest things is the connection because you get to connect to show people that little bit of love that is uh is definitely needed around that time because it can be a very, very tough time for a lot of people when they're suffering from homelessness and you know other other things, you know, loss of family, and and when they have that that connection with a staff member or a volunteer, uh it just it just means a lot.
29:13
SPEAKER_02: Um, I was at one of the parties one year and one of the guests opened a Christmas present that we we wrap, we have volunteers help us wrap those, and he said that was his first Christmas gift he had unwrapped in 10 years.
29:25
SPEAKER_02: And the look of joy on his face was like nothing you've seen before.
29:29
SPEAKER_02: So just for a small gift like that shows so much love for somebody that's in in so much need.
29:34
SPEAKER_04: You personally, uh, when you were um the Christmas store um uh receiving what what do you what stands out in your mind the most that uh during that time?
29:42
SPEAKER_04: Uh you've shared your testimony with us uh before, but what uh what do you remember that was most important to you?
29:49
SPEAKER_02: I think it was just uh amazing to see how many people, volunteers and staff members, put in so much work just to help these people in need.
29:57
SPEAKER_04: And now you get to be one of those that put in so much work.
30:00
SPEAKER_04: Well, Scott, I know that uh I've known you for a long time and I know that uh people talk about what great joy you have uh as as one of those that serves.
30:09
SPEAKER_04: And uh you got a big job moving lots of product around, inventory, uh making sure that it gets put in the right place, um, keeping in food cool when it's supposed to be cool and not hot when it's not supposed to be hot and and all of those things, and then being able to distribute to uh to others.
30:25
SPEAKER_04: Um, you know, really, really proud of you and uh glad you're part of this team.
30:29
SPEAKER_04: You're you're amazing.
30:30
SPEAKER_04: Um yeah, we definitely couldn't do it without having our eyes on God first, though.
30:34
SPEAKER_04: That's right.
30:34
SPEAKER_04: Amen.
30:35
SPEAKER_04: Amen to that.
30:36
SPEAKER_04: So the let's let's talk about that part.
30:38
SPEAKER_04: Um Miriam, uh as a former CEO of the United Way and then coming to the rescue mission as the uh Christmas coordinator that first year, and I know I know you're still a little uh spirit.
30:51
SPEAKER_04: Bait and switch.
30:52
SPEAKER_04: But anyway, no, you know, there's uh there's these plans and there's these predictions about how many people are gonna be in need.
31:01
SPEAKER_04: Um and there's also a prediction of people are gonna help.
31:05
SPEAKER_04: Yeah.
31:05
SPEAKER_04: But sometimes um you're getting down to the wire.
31:08
SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
31:09
SPEAKER_04: And uh talk about the God factor group.
31:11
SPEAKER_03: You know, I don't even know exactly how we would describe it, Barry, because it happens so frequently here at the mission in terms of being in that point where you're just about to panic because we're not gonna have things for people, right?
31:26
SPEAKER_03: We're not gonna be able to meet their needs.
31:28
SPEAKER_03: We're going to see sad faces, not happy faces.
31:31
SPEAKER_03: And then the Lord just shows up through our donors, through people that bring things, through people that say, you know, I was just thinking about volunteering.
31:41
SPEAKER_03: It's it is just almost uncanny how it happens that God just brings us what we need.
31:49
SPEAKER_03: He provides in every single way, whether it's food, whether it's gifts, whether it's volunteers that bring their time, whether it's I I I don't know, right?
32:01
SPEAKER_03: But he just shows up and brings us exactly what we need.
32:05
SPEAKER_03: And so all of our kind of angst about wondering are we going to be able to do it, are we not?
32:11
SPEAKER_03: Um we are still obviously all human and still have that kind of sense of anxiety when we don't need to.
32:19
SPEAKER_03: Because God will provide all of the things that are needed.
32:22
SPEAKER_04: How many years have you been here now, Mary?
32:24
SPEAKER_04: Eight.
32:25
SPEAKER_04: Eight.
32:26
SPEAKER_04: Okay.
32:26
SPEAKER_04: Do you remember a time when we ran out of anything?
32:30
SPEAKER_03: Well, not for any length of time.
32:32
SPEAKER_03: No.
32:33
SPEAKER_04: No, maybe about the moment, but then it came.
32:35
SPEAKER_03: Like minutes.
32:35
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, like Christmas.
32:36
SPEAKER_04: Uh uh.
32:37
SPEAKER_04: Right.
32:37
SPEAKER_04: Yeah.
32:38
SPEAKER_03: Oh, buried there's a lot of things.
32:39
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, you go to the cupboard and it's bare, but then there's people standing on the other side of the cupboard.
32:42
SPEAKER_03: Uh-huh.
32:43
SPEAKER_04: What happens?
32:44
SPEAKER_03: Uh, they've got what you need.
32:45
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, it comes.
32:46
SPEAKER_03: It it comes through the door.
32:48
SPEAKER_03: We can be at the top of the ramp saying, Okay, we are completely out.
32:52
SPEAKER_03: What are we going to do?
32:53
SPEAKER_03: as they're rolling in pallets of exactly what we need.
32:58
SPEAKER_03: You know, um, it happens during school uh supply distribution, it happens during Thanksgiving, it happens during food crises like what we're experiencing, anticipating with the snap thing.
33:10
SPEAKER_03: It happens at Christmas.
33:12
SPEAKER_03: It just comes.
33:13
SPEAKER_03: But, Mary, it comes because people allow God to nudge them.
33:19
SPEAKER_03: I was gonna go right to the thing.
33:20
SPEAKER_04: I was gonna go right there, and I appreciate you bringing that up because somebody said, Well, if God's got it with you, you don't need me.
33:25
SPEAKER_04: Well, here's the deal.
33:26
SPEAKER_04: Uh-huh.
33:27
SPEAKER_04: God chooses you.
33:28
SPEAKER_04: Yes.
33:29
SPEAKER_04: And so you get to be a part of what God is doing.
33:32
SPEAKER_04: And it's not like not like God's going to do it all alone, or you're going to do it all alone.
33:37
SPEAKER_04: We do it together with God, and you may not even know that, but if you are helping, uh you're going to get a blessing out of this because it's bigger than just us.
33:48
SPEAKER_03: Oh, it isn't us.
33:50
SPEAKER_04: But yeah, that's right.
33:51
SPEAKER_04: It is part of us.
33:52
SPEAKER_04: Well, because because he's he uses us.
33:55
SPEAKER_04: Well, we're there to accept it.
33:56
SPEAKER_04: We're there to give it back out, and those who are participating in it.
34:00
SPEAKER_04: So it's a it's a really kind of a amazing partnership between we trust God.
34:06
SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
34:07
SPEAKER_04: And then he goes and speaks to you who are listening to be able to come in here and then sends the right people to the mission to be able to do the job.
34:14
SPEAKER_04: I mean, it's it's it it sounds oversimplified, and it's not, but it is at the same time.
34:21
SPEAKER_03: And you know, Barry, it's like we recognize the need.
34:24
SPEAKER_03: God is already way ahead of us, and he is talked to, spoken to, nudged, however you want to refer to it.
34:31
SPEAKER_03: He's already had that on those people's minds long before we even knew we had a need.
34:36
SPEAKER_03: You know, he is so far ahead of us every single time.
34:39
SPEAKER_03: But then we have staff like Scott and like John and like every staff person here at TRM that trusts in the Lord, right?
34:49
SPEAKER_03: And reminds us if I'm panicking, Scott is gonna remind me it's gonna be okay, Miriam.
34:54
SPEAKER_03: The Lord's gonna provide, right?
34:56
SPEAKER_03: Or John's gonna say, we're good, we're good.
34:58
SPEAKER_03: Even though inside we might be panicking.
35:01
SPEAKER_04: So John, you never panic, right?
35:05
SPEAKER_04: It's because we're human, you know, and we see the cupboard is bare, the shelves are bare, we got people coming uh our way.
35:12
SPEAKER_04: I remember Scott wasn't too long ago.
35:14
SPEAKER_04: Uh, we were down there in the distribution center, and those shelves were bare.
35:17
SPEAKER_04: I mean, this is like a year ago, whatever.
35:19
SPEAKER_03: No, this is just a few days ago.
35:21
SPEAKER_04: Well, again, again, yes.
35:23
SPEAKER_04: But I I just remember with Andrew down there, and you know, it's kind of he was new at the game and so so forth.
35:28
SPEAKER_04: And you what are we gonna do?
35:30
SPEAKER_04: So pray.
35:31
SPEAKER_04: Pray, watch what happens.
35:33
SPEAKER_04: And and it happened.
35:34
SPEAKER_04: And so, you know, I I I never got used to it.
35:37
SPEAKER_04: I'm still not used to it.
35:39
SPEAKER_04: I love it.
35:39
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, but it doesn't, you can't be presumptuous, you have to be actively seeking the Lord to be able to help doing what we're supposed to do.
35:49
SPEAKER_03: Yes, right.
35:50
SPEAKER_03: I mean, we aren't supposed to just sit back and wait.
35:52
SPEAKER_03: No, you know, so whatever we are supposed to be doing, we have to be diligent and committed to do that as well.
35:58
SPEAKER_03: And that includes asking people for help, right?
36:01
SPEAKER_03: Right?
36:01
SPEAKER_03: Letting people know, yeah, TRM asks for a lot, right?
36:05
SPEAKER_03: Because the Lord has entrusted us with a lot of responsibility and people to care for.
36:11
SPEAKER_04: I'd like to speak to that just a little bit.
36:12
SPEAKER_04: Uh it it uh something I became very aware of, kind of embarrassing, but um uh God was just supplying, supplying, supplying the Topeka Rescue Mission uh for so many years, and this is uh uh a number of years ago, and and uh uh we were having some funding challenges, um, not super ones at the time.
36:30
SPEAKER_04: And I got a call from uh this lady um in the community that says, Hey, I just want to let you know I'm gonna send this check to you.
36:36
SPEAKER_04: And I was like, Thank you so much, you know, and she was had the means to do it.
36:40
SPEAKER_04: And then she says, How's it going there at the rescue mission, Barry?
36:43
SPEAKER_04: And I said, Well, it's a little challenging right now, and the finances are a little challenging.
36:48
SPEAKER_04: And she said, Um, well, okay.
36:50
SPEAKER_04: Who are you letting know about that?
36:53
SPEAKER_04: And I said, Well, um, I said, I really prefer to just pray and watch God do it.
37:00
SPEAKER_04: And that's really kind of how it had been a lot.
37:03
SPEAKER_04: And she said, Oh, that's nice, but who are you letting know?
37:09
SPEAKER_04: And um, you know, actually I had some chapters and a book written about all this kind of thing.
37:13
SPEAKER_04: It's just, you know, praying and God brings it in in miraculous ways.
37:16
SPEAKER_04: So about two or three times of this, I was like, I was really embarrassed and I didn't know what to say, but she said, I really think you need to let people know.
37:22
SPEAKER_04: And I was thinking, I'm not doing that.
37:24
SPEAKER_04: I'm gonna stay the course.
37:25
SPEAKER_04: I'm just gonna trust God.
37:27
SPEAKER_04: I want to be like George Mueller in England, you know.
37:30
SPEAKER_04: Well, God kind of took me uh into this uh 2 a.m.
37:33
SPEAKER_04: little wake-up thing, and he says, You're not George Mueller, Barry.
37:36
SPEAKER_04: You're Barry.
37:38
SPEAKER_04: And I said, Well, God, what does that mean?
37:40
SPEAKER_04: And um he said, Um, I never told you not to ask others or tell people what was going on.
37:45
SPEAKER_04: You made that decision.
37:47
SPEAKER_04: So I said to the Lord, I said, Lord, does that mean it's okay to ask?
37:50
SPEAKER_04: And he goes, Uh-huh.
37:52
SPEAKER_04: It's okay.
37:53
SPEAKER_04: We can't put God in a box.
37:55
SPEAKER_03: Right.
37:55
SPEAKER_04: We can't put God in a box and say he's gonna do it this way or that way.
37:58
SPEAKER_04: Sometimes all we do is pray.
38:00
SPEAKER_04: Other times we pray and let people know what's going on.
38:03
SPEAKER_04: Other times we pray, let people know what's going on, and ask them.
38:06
SPEAKER_04: And sometimes we have to ask them in a very, very dramatic way because the needs are very dramatic.
38:11
SPEAKER_03: Exactly.
38:12
SPEAKER_04: So I learned a big lesson on that too.
38:14
SPEAKER_03: I think we all it's it is okay.
38:15
SPEAKER_03: It's why we're here.
38:16
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, yeah, really is.
38:18
SPEAKER_04: Well, uh, in spite of um what's going on in the whole wide world, and there's other issues that could affect a lot of things that are going on nationally, globally.
38:27
SPEAKER_04: Um I've never I don't think we've ever had a government shut down this long.
38:30
SPEAKER_04: And what does that mean?
38:32
SPEAKER_04: Um, and uh what does it mean for what we talked about earlier, SNAP, and some other things in regards to a number of changes happening uh with the increase in homelessness and the just on and on and on.
38:43
SPEAKER_04: That said, Christmas is coming.
38:46
SPEAKER_04: And we're gonna be at Christmas.
38:47
SPEAKER_03: Absolutely.
38:48
SPEAKER_03: And we can be joyful throughout this whole time because it means we are going to get to meet people that need to see Jesus.
38:57
SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
38:57
SPEAKER_03: Right?
38:57
SPEAKER_03: And we get to be that reflection of him to everyone that comes to us who is feeling hopeless or feeling fearful or whatever they might be feeling.
39:08
SPEAKER_03: And we have this amazing opportunity to let Jesus shine through us.
39:13
SPEAKER_03: And I'm not sure there's anything much better than that.
39:16
SPEAKER_04: I think I think that's well said.
39:17
SPEAKER_04: Well said.
39:18
SPEAKER_04: Uh John, uh Scott, anything else uh share today about Christmas or anything else?
39:22
SPEAKER_02: Um I I I just think this is probably the most important time of the year to show people the love and and to step into that gap of the other needs that they need for the to this time of year.
39:34
SPEAKER_02: And uh at this time with all the government shutdowns, that is even more important.
39:38
SPEAKER_04: Great opportunity time, isn't it?
39:40
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, John?
39:41
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
39:41
SPEAKER_01: No, I just, you know, I'm thinking of the image of the the Advent wreath, right?
39:45
SPEAKER_01: And you have uh love, joy, hope, and peace.
39:48
SPEAKER_01: And um yeah, we recognize that we are asking a lot of our staff, of our volunteers, of our community to help support us.
39:57
SPEAKER_01: Um, but we just want to connect with people.
40:01
SPEAKER_01: I think it it just all boils down to that.
40:03
SPEAKER_01: And we want to make sure um that we can be a part of bringing all of those attributes, love, joy, hope, and peace um to them in this holiday season and not to just say, hey, we're too busy.
40:14
SPEAKER_01: We got too much going on, sorry.
40:16
SPEAKER_01: You know, you're on your own.
40:17
SPEAKER_01: And so um thank you for for those listening and those who are gonna support um in any way and just keep us in prayer and everything uh like that.
40:25
SPEAKER_01: But uh just know we are we are trying to do that, and um I think that that is where our focus has to be.
40:31
SPEAKER_04: Well, Christmas uh all about that love, joy, and peace.
40:34
SPEAKER_04: It's about the advent, it's about the good news, and people are really wondering sometimes is there any good news at all?
40:40
SPEAKER_04: And uh sometimes in their need, we can be there to be able to share that, not only in a gift or a meal, but also in that relationship with others.
40:48
SPEAKER_04: If you're one of those people that's already helping, we want to say thank you for helping support the Topeka Rescue Mission and many other efforts in our community, especially right now.
40:55
SPEAKER_04: And uh, if you are someone who is interested in learning more, you can go to Topeka Rescue Mission website at trmonline.org.
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SPEAKER_04: That's TRM for Topeka Rescue Mission, TRMonline.org.
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SPEAKER_04: And what you're gonna find there is some really important information about the Ministry of Topeka Rescue Mission.
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SPEAKER_04: You're gonna find out uh how you can financially help, how you can volunteer.
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SPEAKER_04: You're gonna see a needs list there for Christmas if you'd like to go out and shop.
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SPEAKER_04: I'm not one of those, but if you like to do that, please do that.
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SPEAKER_04: And uh this team here, as well as many great volunteers at Topeka Rescue Mission, are gonna help somebody know that they really matter.
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SPEAKER_04: Thank you for being a part of our community, our mission.