Latest / Our Community, Our Mission / Ep #297 – Serving Omaha With Conviction: A Conversation with Candace Gregory

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Ep #297 – Serving Omaha With Conviction: A Conversation with Candace Gregory · Our Community, Our Mission

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_01: Father, we just thank you for just this season.
• 0:04
  SPEAKER_01: Lord, I know that it's easy for us to get caught up in all of the things, and even when the things are good and they bring joy.
• 0:14
  SPEAKER_01: But Lord, I just pray that even good things don't uh shadow uh the birth of Jesus.
• 0:21
  SPEAKER_01: And we just thank you that you chose to send your son to take the flesh form, for him to truly understand uh the hurts of humanity, uh, but also for him to accept um that he was the savior for all of us.
• 0:38
  SPEAKER_01: And so I just pray that over these next couple of weeks, Lord, that um we are able to bring joy uh to people in need and that we would be sources of your light.
• 0:47
  SPEAKER_01: But I also pray that each and every one of us spend time every day just remembering um that it is Jesus' birthday and um that that was a king that was born to cover all of our sins.
• 1:01
  SPEAKER_01: And we thank you for that.
• 1:03
  SPEAKER_01: Uh thank you for our special guest today, Lord, and that she has um given up um some things in order to take on this time.
• 1:10
  SPEAKER_01: And I just pray that she would receive a blessing for that as well as we hear about um her leadership, her team, their servant's heart, and uh just the big impact that is in her region.
• 1:21
  SPEAKER_01: God, thank you for all that you do.
• 1:22
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you for never leaving us, and we give you this podcast in your name we pray.
• 1:26
  SPEAKER_01: Amen.
• 1:33
  SPEAKER_00: Hello, everybody.
• 1:34
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you for joining us for another episode of our community, our mission, a podcast of the Topeka Rescue Mission.
• 1:39
  SPEAKER_00: I'm your host, Barry Fieker, here on December 16th, 2025, here with Lamanda.
• 1:44
  SPEAKER_00: Good morning.
• 1:45
  SPEAKER_01: Good morning.
• 1:45
  SPEAKER_00: You know, we're right in the middle of Christmas season.
• 1:48
  SPEAKER_01: We are.
• 1:49
  SPEAKER_00: And we're gonna pause today to talk to somebody else who's right in the middle of their Christmas season, uh huh.
• 1:53
  SPEAKER_00: Who is uh not terribly far from here, but uh part of the Citigate network, and we wanna we want to highlight uh another Citigate member uh here in a moment.
• 2:02
  SPEAKER_00: So this is episode number two hundred and ninety-seven, Lamanda.
• 2:05
  SPEAKER_01: Wow.
• 2:06
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, that's amazing.
• 2:07
  SPEAKER_00: We started this before you were born, I think.
• 2:08
  SPEAKER_00: I know I think so.
• 2:09
  SPEAKER_01: But you were already 60 back then.
• 2:11
  SPEAKER_00: I was, yeah.
• 2:12
  SPEAKER_00: That's right.
• 2:13
  SPEAKER_00: That's right.
• 2:13
  SPEAKER_00: I'm 129 now.
• 2:15
  SPEAKER_00: So, but uh anyway, um have you ever listeners, have you ever heard me refer to Lamanda anything other than the CEO?
• 2:23
  SPEAKER_00: If you have, you know why.
• 2:25
  SPEAKER_00: So anyway, we won't go there.
• 2:27
  SPEAKER_00: But anyway, we always like to highlight what's special about this day.
• 2:30
  SPEAKER_00: This is again December 16th every year.
• 2:32
  SPEAKER_00: Um nationally, it's chocolate-covered what day, Lamanda?
• 2:37
  SPEAKER_01: Let me look.
• 2:38
  SPEAKER_01: Covered anything going right.
• 2:40
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 2:41
  SPEAKER_00: So the yeah, so chocolate-covered anything.
• 2:43
  SPEAKER_01: Have you ever had chocolate-covered ants?
• 2:44
  SPEAKER_00: Uh no, I have not.
• 2:46
  SPEAKER_01: I did.
• 2:46
  SPEAKER_00: Uh did you?
• 2:47
  SPEAKER_00: How was it?
• 2:48
  SPEAKER_01: Um it was actually pretty It was pretty decent.
• 2:51
  SPEAKER_01: It was almost like a chocolate-covered peanut.
• 2:53
  SPEAKER_00: Have you ever had chocolate-covered beans?
• 2:56
  SPEAKER_01: I have not.
• 2:57
  SPEAKER_00: You haven't, neither do I.
• 2:58
  SPEAKER_00: So I'm pretty much just a chocolate-covered strawberry vanilla ice cream, got it.
• 3:03
  SPEAKER_00: Vanilla ice cream.
• 3:04
  SPEAKER_00: But uh crispy bacon strips, uh chocolate uh Dorios.
• 3:07
  SPEAKER_00: That's okay.
• 3:08
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, that's good.
• 3:09
  SPEAKER_00: So, but anyway, chocolates, you know, we we love chocolate.
• 3:11
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, so we're gonna jump into the next one that's really important.
• 3:13
  SPEAKER_01: Okay.
• 3:14
  SPEAKER_00: It is National Stupid Toy Day.
• 3:18
  SPEAKER_03: What?
• 3:19
  SPEAKER_00: Stupid toy day.
• 3:20
  SPEAKER_00: National Stupid Toy Day.
• 3:22
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I think that's what that says.
• 3:23
  SPEAKER_00: Stupid toy day.
• 3:24
  SPEAKER_00: This is from our research and development department here at Topeka Rescue Mission.
• 3:26
  SPEAKER_00: They come up with some real zingers here.
• 3:28
  SPEAKER_01: That's right.
• 3:29
  SPEAKER_00: So, what would you consider as you were a child?
• 3:31
  SPEAKER_00: Did you have any toys?
• 3:32
  SPEAKER_01: I yes, I did.
• 3:33
  SPEAKER_00: You did.
• 3:33
  SPEAKER_00: Uh-huh.
• 3:34
  SPEAKER_00: What was your favorite toy?
• 3:35
  SPEAKER_01: My stupid toy.
• 3:36
  SPEAKER_01: Oh, your favorite toy.
• 3:37
  SPEAKER_00: I think it's a stupid one.
• 3:38
  SPEAKER_00: What was your favorite?
• 3:39
  SPEAKER_01: Honestly, it was probably my Urkel doll.
• 3:42
  SPEAKER_01: Do you remember Steve Urkel?
• 3:44
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 3:44
  SPEAKER_01: Who?
• 3:45
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, it was Steve Urkel, and he had the suspenders and his pants always went up past his belly button, and it had a string, and you'd pull the string and it would say, Got any cheese?
• 3:54
  SPEAKER_00: So our research and development department um is nodding their head.
• 3:57
  SPEAKER_00: They understand this nod.
• 3:58
  SPEAKER_00: I have no idea.
• 3:58
  SPEAKER_00: But that would be a stupid toy for me.
• 4:00
  SPEAKER_00: That's right.
• 4:00
  SPEAKER_01: There he is.
• 4:01
  SPEAKER_01: Look, he's giving you a picture.
• 4:02
  SPEAKER_01: That was Steve Urkel.
• 4:03
  SPEAKER_00: Way to go, buddy.
• 4:04
  SPEAKER_00: Yep, go right there to the internet.
• 4:06
  SPEAKER_00: So, anyway, well, um, you know, there are some pretty silly toys out there, but um, some kids will go, Man, this is stupid.
• 4:12
  SPEAKER_01: Uh-huh.
• 4:13
  SPEAKER_00: I never did that because I knew that'd be my last toy.
• 4:15
  SPEAKER_01: I was gonna say, yeah, well, even this year, this past uh weekend, we went to Arkansas to do Christmas for the kids with grandparents.
• 4:22
  SPEAKER_01: And even on the way down there, my husband and I were like, now remember, if you get a gift that we already have, you just be thankful for it and we will work it out later.
• 4:32
  SPEAKER_01: Or if there's something you don't like, you can tell us because we're your safe people, but you don't tell the people that give it to you, right?
• 4:39
  SPEAKER_01: Right.
• 4:39
  SPEAKER_01: Everyone is either yes.
• 4:41
  SPEAKER_01: So far we did well.
• 4:42
  SPEAKER_00: So well, being from Arkansas, there would be no stupid toys down there.
• 4:45
  SPEAKER_00: That's right.
• 4:46
  SPEAKER_01: There's a lot of good ones.
• 4:47
  SPEAKER_01: Um last thing.
• 4:48
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm sure that Lamanda, you probably haven't studied on this today, woke up this morning and said, Hey, it's December 16th.
• 4:55
  SPEAKER_00: It's Zagreb Day.
• 4:57
  SPEAKER_03: Uh-huh.
• 4:57
  SPEAKER_00: Zagrib Day.
• 4:58
  SPEAKER_00: Uh-huh.
• 4:58
  SPEAKER_00: You know what that means, right?
• 5:00
  SPEAKER_00: Nope.
• 5:00
  SPEAKER_00: Nope, I didn't either.
• 5:02
  SPEAKER_00: So it's Advent in Croatia.
• 5:04
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, okay.
• 5:05
  SPEAKER_00: That's neat.
• 5:06
  SPEAKER_00: So yeah, Croatia.
• 5:06
  SPEAKER_00: You know, you know a lot of Croatians, right?
• 5:08
  SPEAKER_01: I do not.
• 5:09
  SPEAKER_00: You do not.
• 5:09
  SPEAKER_00: I do not.
• 5:10
  SPEAKER_00: No.
• 5:10
  SPEAKER_00: I know one.
• 5:11
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 5:11
  SPEAKER_00: But anyway, uh they've never told me about this.
• 5:13
  SPEAKER_00: But anyway, thanks for uh our research and development department.
• 5:16
  SPEAKER_00: They are really kicking it there in Croatia today.
• 5:19
  SPEAKER_01: I think they just wanted to see if you could pronounce it.
• 5:21
  SPEAKER_00: Capital, well, they probably are tuning in right now and they're going to correct me because I'm pretty good at that.
• 5:26
  SPEAKER_00: Anyway, they do a lot of festival type things.
• 5:28
  SPEAKER_00: But uh if any Croatians are listening in Topeka, Kansas today or around the globe, we just want to let you know we've noticed is Zagreb Day.
• 5:36
  SPEAKER_00: Yes.
• 5:37
  SPEAKER_01: So it's and one thing that I thought was neat on here is that they are really known for hospitality.
• 5:42
  SPEAKER_01: Um and I just think that's incredible.
• 5:45
  SPEAKER_01: And I think, especially in this season, as we're celebrating Christ and the birth and all of that, I would hope that it is the season we're most hospitable, but I'm not sure that's the case.
• 5:57
  SPEAKER_01: You know, people are stressed, and yeah.
• 6:00
  SPEAKER_01: So anyway.
• 6:01
  SPEAKER_00: So pay attention to the crotes to see what they're doing.
• 6:03
  SPEAKER_00: They've been hospitable today.
• 6:05
  SPEAKER_00: So anyway, Lamanda, we have um spent some time uh once a month uh here this last year of highlighting the Citigate network.
• 6:14
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and that's a part of uh what the Speaker Rescue Mission is involved with.
• 6:17
  SPEAKER_00: It's a hundred-plus-year-old organization that networks uh rescue ministries around North America, and uh it's got a pretty big impact.
• 6:26
  SPEAKER_00: Yes.
• 6:26
  SPEAKER_00: And so we have wanted to highlight some different leaders in rescue ministry, not all CEOs, executive directors, but we do have one special one today.
• 6:36
  SPEAKER_00: And uh that is um Candace Gregory, who is president, CEO of Open Door Mission Omaha.
• 6:42
  SPEAKER_00: That's where I learned that from Bob Timberlake, your pr your predecessor, Omaha, because he was from the east of Omaha, Nebraska.
• 6:49
  SPEAKER_00: So uh um anyway, Candace, welcome to our community, our mission.
• 6:53
  SPEAKER_02: I'm not sure you did it exactly right.
• 6:55
  SPEAKER_02: It's Omaha.
• 6:57
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, that's right.
• 6:57
  SPEAKER_00: He did that.
• 6:58
  SPEAKER_00: Omaha ha ha.
• 6:59
  SPEAKER_00: That's right.
• 7:00
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 7:00
  SPEAKER_00: I think uh Bob Timberlake, the guy that was before you, which was a long time ago, was from Maine or something, I believe.
• 7:06
  SPEAKER_02: And so Yeah, and you know, this is like a 180, but he would be so thrilled to know that his son-in-law and daughter are being called to Maine to start a church.
• 7:18
  SPEAKER_02: Is that right?
• 7:19
  SPEAKER_02: They're leaving in January to go there, and Maine is has more trees than it has people.
• 7:26
  SPEAKER_02: And they are they need uh they need a very much needed Bible-believing church uh to be teaching, and I'm so excited for what God has in store for them.
• 7:38
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, well, Candace, um again, thank you for joining us today.
• 7:42
  SPEAKER_00: Um, there was that long-term director, Bob Timberlake, that we just mentioned that would call Omaha ha ha ha.
• 7:47
  SPEAKER_00: And uh you came pretty close right after he had stepped down.
• 7:51
  SPEAKER_00: Um and that's been how long now?
• 7:54
  SPEAKER_02: Uh about 31 years this October.
• 7:57
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, 31 years.
• 7:58
  SPEAKER_00: When you came to Open Door Mission, did you dream that you would have been at this ministry for three plus decades?
• 8:07
  SPEAKER_02: No, in fact, uh Gary and Lamin, and my commitment was one year.
• 8:12
  SPEAKER_02: I actually um on an on a mission R1 from Canada, a religious uh uh visa.
• 8:19
  SPEAKER_02: I I was sponsored by a Southern Baptist Church to come and helped Bob design a program specifically for women and children.
• 8:28
  SPEAKER_02: Um we they were desperate at the time to implement a case management, they were desperate to implement a recovery program for women and their children so that children wouldn't have to go into classic care and go into the family where they could be identified with the other.
• 8:46
  SPEAKER_02: I met Bob actually um as a director of children's ministry at my church.
• 8:51
  SPEAKER_02: I had left uh Department of Human Services, went into family business and was just volunteering at my church for the children's Bible school and three different things.
• 9:00
  SPEAKER_02: And one thing led to another.
• 9:02
  SPEAKER_02: I met Bob.
• 9:03
  SPEAKER_02: If you knew Bob, you loved Bob and I love Bob.
• 9:07
  SPEAKER_02: And um he just was relentless on could you come for a mission trip?
• 9:11
  SPEAKER_02: Could you come for one year?
• 9:13
  SPEAKER_02: And so I did.
• 9:14
  SPEAKER_02: And I really thought that my commitment was just to come and go home and uh go back to family business.
• 9:20
  SPEAKER_00: Well, that obviously did not happen.
• 9:21
  SPEAKER_00: Uh a lot has changed.
• 9:23
  SPEAKER_00: A lot has changed in these 31 years at in Omaha with Open Door.
• 9:28
  SPEAKER_00: So uh first question before we get into painting a picture of Open Door Mitch and what's happened in your time there.
• 9:35
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, what is the reason uh you we know why you came.
• 9:39
  SPEAKER_00: Why'd you stay?
• 9:41
  SPEAKER_00: Um this is uh this is a big question in in rescue ministry.
• 9:44
  SPEAKER_00: It's hard work.
• 9:46
  SPEAKER_00: Um a lot of people don't understand it.
• 9:48
  SPEAKER_00: Uh there's uh people that love you, people that hate you.
• 9:51
  SPEAKER_00: Uh some of the most broken that we have in this part of the world that uh are coming to your door.
• 9:56
  SPEAKER_00: Life and death is uh pretty much on the CEO's uh desk every day of making decisions.
• 10:02
  SPEAKER_00: Why did you stay?
• 10:04
  SPEAKER_02: Well, isn't that the truth?
• 10:06
  SPEAKER_02: Um it's uh definitely uh um a hodgepodge, isn't it?
• 10:11
  SPEAKER_02: Uh um who would have thought that we in a in a rescue mission would be running a hotel, uh clinic, a restaurant, um, after school program for children, recovery and treatment programs.
• 10:24
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, the list goes on.
• 10:26
  SPEAKER_02: Um it's a calling.
• 10:27
  SPEAKER_02: It's a calling on my life, um, and I was just obedient to that calling.
• 10:32
  SPEAKER_00: Can you describe to us how you knew about this calling?
• 10:37
  SPEAKER_02: Um, I knew within a shadow of a doubt when I came how fulfilled uh I felt in doing what I was doing.
• 10:44
  SPEAKER_02: Uh it didn't feel like work.
• 10:46
  SPEAKER_02: Um and it still doesn't.
• 10:48
  SPEAKER_02: Every day I get up and I am excited when my teeth hit the floor.
• 10:52
  SPEAKER_02: What miracle am I gonna see transform today?
• 10:56
  SPEAKER_02: And I cannot explain it other than peace and affirmation uh through the Holy Spirit, God's Word, and others that I'm exactly where God's called me to be.
• 11:07
  SPEAKER_00: And I think that uh that miracle piece of seeing something happen that does excite.
• 11:13
  SPEAKER_00: Uh sometimes those miracles are not always recognizable uh in the way that we would like.
• 11:18
  SPEAKER_00: Lamanda's got a uh uh stained glass window pane behind her front desk that says expect a miracle.
• 11:25
  SPEAKER_00: And uh you need those, don't you, Lamanda?
• 11:27
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 11:28
  SPEAKER_01: Barry gave me that um because it was given to him.
• 11:31
  SPEAKER_01: And so when we did um our transition, he gave me that and I thought this is beautiful.
• 11:37
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, I was touched when I got it, but now it is kind of like a um staple of my war room um in my office because so much of what we do.
• 11:49
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 11:50
  SPEAKER_01: Well, let me tell you, we can find you one because I gotta keep mine because I need the reminder.
• 11:55
  SPEAKER_00: But I did not understand rescue ministry work before I came.
• 12:00
  SPEAKER_00: I came in um just the call, you know, just knew that you were supposed to do it.
• 12:07
  SPEAKER_00: And uh had a neighbor, didn't know her very well, but I was mowing the lawn one day before I actually came to the mission, and she comes up to the fence and hands me this pretty large uh stained glass and heavy, and she said, Here, you're gonna need this.
• 12:20
  SPEAKER_00: And so it said, Expect a miracle.
• 12:22
  SPEAKER_00: And uh I never departed with it until my last day uh at Topeka Rescue Mission.
• 12:26
  SPEAKER_00: But but there is uh not just a thrill of seeing the unusual happen, seeing prayers answered, but there's also the necessity uh in this kind of work because there's a lot of expectations on you, Candace, um, on open door mission, on Topeka Rescue Mission to solve a lot of problems.
• 12:47
  SPEAKER_00: And you can't do all that just because you want to.
• 12:50
  SPEAKER_00: What have you learned?
• 12:51
  SPEAKER_00: What have you learned over the years?
• 12:52
  SPEAKER_00: Obviously, we want to talk about your growth here in a minute of all these different things, uh, the hotel, restaurant, and so forth, but what have you learned in these 31 years that you didn't know?
• 13:04
  SPEAKER_00: And you would say maybe for people listening who are maybe thinking about hmm, I may be called into something here or there, what have you learned in this process?
• 13:15
  SPEAKER_02: Well, I admit I make a mistake and I own it.
• 13:20
  SPEAKER_02: I the five most important words that I can say to someone are you did a good job.
• 13:27
  SPEAKER_02: Um the four most important words I can say to my leadership is what is your thing?
• 13:34
  SPEAKER_02: The three most important words when I'm talking to our guest.
• 13:43
  SPEAKER_02: Um the two most important words thank you, and probably the most important thing is it's we and not I.
• 13:52
  SPEAKER_00: We and not what?
• 13:54
  SPEAKER_02: We and not I.
• 13:56
  SPEAKER_00: Mm-hmm.
• 13:56
  SPEAKER_00: Mm-hmm.
• 13:57
  SPEAKER_00: Good.
• 13:58
  SPEAKER_00: Well, that's those are those are we we're gonna go back and listen to that one, write them down.
• 14:02
  SPEAKER_00: Uh those are those are very good foundational.
• 14:05
  SPEAKER_00: Well, Candace, in your time working at the open door, uh leading that uh that ministry, you've seen a lot of changes, not only in the ministry, but in the homeless picture as well.
• 14:15
  SPEAKER_00: Talk about Omaha, Nebraska, just kind of generally what is happening, um, what you've seen as a change in the picture of homelessness.
• 14:24
  SPEAKER_00: Is the uh the the the family shelter, uh I was there years ago, I believe it was called Lydia House.
• 14:30
  SPEAKER_00: Uh is that still what it's uh named today?
• 14:33
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, and you came that's what you came to help really propel forward.
• 14:37
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, sounds like so.
• 14:39
  SPEAKER_00: Paint us a picture, what's going on in Omaha with the homeless picture, and then uh talk about open door.
• 14:44
  SPEAKER_02: I think it's important to say that in this world today, I have never experienced more hate or violence or discrimination against Christians.
• 14:57
  SPEAKER_02: There's so much.
• 14:58
  SPEAKER_02: Um you know, I'm gonna practice my religious rights until they're taken away.
• 15:04
  SPEAKER_02: But uh I'm imposed upon every day to accept the rights of everyone else.
• 15:10
  SPEAKER_02: But when I want to practice mine, it's I and I felt that more in the last couple of years than I ever have.
• 15:21
  SPEAKER_02: So I'll state that.
• 15:22
  SPEAKER_02: So their culture is a little bit different in our world.
• 15:25
  SPEAKER_00: Let me ask a question to clarify there.
• 15:26
  SPEAKER_00: Is that uh just internally with the ministry, or do you see that out in community as well?
• 15:32
  SPEAKER_02: I see that out, I see that in community as well.
• 15:35
  SPEAKER_02: I see that at large.
• 15:37
  SPEAKER_02: Um, you know, it's it's and I see too the assumption that that's the open door missions issue.
• 15:42
  SPEAKER_02: For instance, we have the highest per capita people unsheltered homeless people in Omaha.
• 15:48
  SPEAKER_02: And that's that's open door emissions issue.
• 15:50
  SPEAKER_02: Did you know that?
• 15:52
  SPEAKER_02: It's in it's part of my issue.
• 15:55
  SPEAKER_02: I I'm part of the issue, but I'm also part of the solution.
• 16:00
  SPEAKER_02: And um, I am a neutral person in this.
• 16:03
  SPEAKER_02: I don't receive government funds, I am not motivated by government funds, I and so therefore I'm supported by the community, served as the community at large, uh, because of the generosity of the community.
• 16:16
  SPEAKER_02: And so I'm in the sandbox because of only one thing, and that's the people we serve.
• 16:23
  SPEAKER_00: So whether you receive government funds or not, people still expect you to do everything about this issue.
• 16:29
  SPEAKER_00: It's kind of like the homeless problem, concern, issue, challenge, is sometimes the responsibility, people think, of the ministry called Open Door in Omaha.
• 16:41
  SPEAKER_00: And if it doesn't go right, it's your fault.
• 16:42
  SPEAKER_00: If it goes right, that's just what you're supposed to do.
• 16:45
  SPEAKER_02: So I mean, we we wear the brunt of that.
• 16:49
  SPEAKER_02: Uh there's n but there's nine shelters in our community, just so you know.
• 16:53
  SPEAKER_02: There's over 140 organizations that belong to our local continuum of care.
• 16:57
  SPEAKER_03: Good.
• 16:58
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and we are in the sandbox and we are playing, but it is tough.
• 17:04
  SPEAKER_02: I'm not gonna be somebody's doormat either.
• 17:07
  SPEAKER_02: Not gonna happen.
• 17:08
  SPEAKER_00: So, how do you how do you how help us to see what you mean by that?
• 17:12
  SPEAKER_00: Um you talked about the discrimination against your faith, um gospel rescue missions, part of Citigate Network.
• 17:18
  SPEAKER_00: That's one commonality.
• 17:20
  SPEAKER_00: They're all gospel, they're Christian, they're not a denomination, they're not part of any church, they are all so focused on biblical understanding of Christ and what he's told us to do.
• 17:31
  SPEAKER_00: Um, you're a Christian ministry, does not receive government funding, so you're not public support.
• 17:36
  SPEAKER_00: You're supported by people out of the generosity of of their giving, which uh has been pretty substantial over the years in in Omaha for you to be able to create everything.
• 17:44
  SPEAKER_00: So you go into these places and to some degree you feel like people are doing what that you won't be a doormat?
• 17:54
  SPEAKER_02: Um I think that uh there's uh different sides of the uh conversation a lot of times, and there's a lot of diversity there.
• 18:04
  SPEAKER_02: And so for instance, um because for instance, you have the Christian community, uh, the very very um very conservative that oh, they don't use just King James version, so I'm not gonna support them.
• 18:17
  SPEAKER_02: Oh, uh Candace is a woman, so oh, we can't support them.
• 18:21
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and then you have those on the other side of it that same-sex marriage, you know, uh is acceptable.
• 18:28
  SPEAKER_02: And so you have to understand that we as an organization love everyone and serve everyone.
• 18:34
  SPEAKER_02: And in fact, I have gender neutral rules, we have all kinds of things going on that we are accepting people where they're at, and we want to love them.
• 18:44
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, who should love our neighbors better than anyone else than we as Christians?
• 18:50
  SPEAKER_02: Because of that, it's interpreting that oh, your skill of better housekeeping feel of approval is on your life screen.
• 19:00
  SPEAKER_02: But we see people where they're at, whether they we don't have their things, we meet people where they're at, and by leading the basic feed, we're able to earn the opportunity to make a feeling relationship in the community with so just like Jesus drew people for community, people are grinding your information.
• 19:23
  SPEAKER_02: We have nine other filters in our community, and guess what?
• 19:26
  SPEAKER_02: Every one of them has an anti-back to the four house in the information.
• 19:30
  SPEAKER_02: We are an overflow, we're sweeping almost 75 men on mats on the floor because our body house at 180.
• 19:37
  SPEAKER_02: We are sweeping women and children on the floor on a mat, and we offer them a drive to another facility, and they say, No, we'll stay on a mat.
• 19:47
  SPEAKER_02: We'll stay here until you have a bad thing.
• 19:49
  SPEAKER_02: What do you think that is?
• 19:51
  SPEAKER_02: I believe it's because we people are treated with respect and dignity here, and they're treated with God's love and comfort.
• 19:58
  SPEAKER_00: Yet at the same time, people in the community.
• 20:00
  SPEAKER_00: Community, say if you shelter this person, uh, we feel like you're endorsing this, or if you don't shelter, or whatever the case might be, yes, is that you I can't please them all, Mary.
• 20:10
  SPEAKER_00: You cannot please them all.
• 20:11
  SPEAKER_00: That's right.
• 20:13
  SPEAKER_00: Can you relate to this lament?
• 20:15
  SPEAKER_02: I can relate, yeah.
• 20:16
  SPEAKER_02: We have chosen to serve everyone, um, and it may look a little different here.
• 20:22
  SPEAKER_02: Just want to warn you, it's true, it looks different, but let me tell you, we are loving people and we are not we are unapologetic about being Christians and believers and standing uh on our face statement.
• 20:37
  SPEAKER_02: Uh, we have scripture on our walls, you'll receive uh an offering of a Bible intake.
• 20:43
  SPEAKER_02: Um, we will invite you to our chapel, our Bible studies, all of our curriculum is Bible-based.
• 20:49
  SPEAKER_02: We have a 12-step uh Christ-centered recovery program, not a faith-based, but Christ-centered Bible-based program.
• 20:56
  SPEAKER_02: And our success rate is undisputable.
• 20:59
  SPEAKER_02: 88% of our graduates are clean and sober, productive in the community, um, and and developing healthy relationships.
• 21:06
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but um we are very clear what we stand on.
• 21:11
  SPEAKER_02: But we will serve all, but I will not hire all.
• 21:14
  SPEAKER_02: And I won't give up on that.
• 21:16
  SPEAKER_00: You know, uh I think though a lot of people, especially in uh the the the Christian community, um they will get hung up, maybe not hung up is the right word, but they will focus on a particular moral issue and uh and throw out the greatest commandment to love God, to love your neighbor.
• 21:34
  SPEAKER_00: And so we're gonna we're gonna we're gonna nail this issue and we're gonna love them later, maybe.
• 21:40
  SPEAKER_00: And what I'm hearing you say is we're gonna love them first and share Christ with them and let him work out the issues.
• 21:47
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 21:47
  SPEAKER_02: That's right.
• 21:48
  SPEAKER_02: We are, we are.
• 21:50
  SPEAKER_02: And um, you know, we our 40 programs that we offer for free to the community, every one of them is is biblically foundation.
• 21:59
  SPEAKER_02: And we we believe, we are, we are, we believe that Christ is the answer.
• 22:04
  SPEAKER_02: And regardless of the season we're in, and he that's where your hope will come from.
• 22:10
  SPEAKER_02: Um and along the way, uh, it might be in our after school program, it might be in the GED Learning Center, it might be in Worknet, you're gonna hear that.
• 22:18
  SPEAKER_02: And we are not apologetic about that.
• 22:21
  SPEAKER_00: Candace, since you're uh obviously not uh um shy of talking controversy, uh were you kind of were you kind of one of the pioneers in the Citigate network as a female um CEO?
• 22:35
  SPEAKER_00: Um it's there's more, it seems to be now, but were you you um I remember hearing about you uh coming in.
• 22:42
  SPEAKER_00: I was still director at Topeka Rescue Mission, and uh we've got a woman who's directing uh in Omaha.
• 22:48
  SPEAKER_00: Ha ha ha ha.
• 22:49
  SPEAKER_00: And uh and now look at Topeka Rescue Mission.
• 22:52
  SPEAKER_00: So were you were you a bit of a uh early starter in this arena?
• 22:56
  SPEAKER_02: You know, this was really different.
• 22:58
  SPEAKER_02: You know, um when I came to rescue, uh but my I was really blessed to have a very forward-thinking director who was really outside of the box.
• 23:09
  SPEAKER_02: Like um, and and he was, you know, who else would walk around with holes in their shoes and just all these things like he would give the clothes off his back to someone, but um but you know, Bob either loved him or hated him, and but he was very much the outside of the box thinker.
• 23:28
  SPEAKER_02: And I'm so glad I had that that leadership because he saw something in me that did not he didn't back down from me.
• 23:37
  SPEAKER_02: Um back then it was not very well received to have women in leadership positions, especially in Christian ministries, very um, especially for an organization our size.
• 23:47
  SPEAKER_02: Annually we have to raise$36 million.
• 23:50
  SPEAKER_00: You raise$36 million a year.
• 23:52
  SPEAKER_02: Every every year um in uh monetary and gift and kind.
• 23:57
  SPEAKER_02: And uh it's in the right gift and kind.
• 24:00
  SPEAKER_02: Um my peers can keep raising their gift and kind and use clothing, but I'm gonna go after the million packages of diapers and the hundred thousand over-the-counter medicines, and I'm gonna do the other things.
• 24:12
  SPEAKER_02: But um, you know, I can remember, um I I I can remember this clearest day.
• 24:19
  SPEAKER_02: Uh, I was at my one of my uh it was more acceptable when I was at the City Gate conference and I was just the director of programs.
• 24:26
  SPEAKER_02: That was great.
• 24:27
  SPEAKER_02: But when I became CEO, that was a little bit different.
• 24:31
  SPEAKER_02: You know, I I can remember going to the pool for just some downtime.
• 24:34
  SPEAKER_02: My very first conference as a CEO, I was pretty excited.
• 24:37
  SPEAKER_02: I was still pretty dreaming too.
• 24:39
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and uh I um remember being in the pool and these ladies um said, So what does your husband do at the rest of the room?
• 24:46
  SPEAKER_02: Oh well, first of all, I'm the CEO, and second of all, this is another ex of my husband's stay-at-home dad.
• 24:54
  SPEAKER_02: And back then that was totally unacceptable.
• 24:57
  SPEAKER_02: What are you talking about?
• 24:58
  SPEAKER_02: Your your husband is a stay-at-home dad, homeschooling, yeah.
• 25:02
  SPEAKER_02: And so um, I just remember them swimming away from me.
• 25:05
  SPEAKER_02: I think I felt like I felt like I felt like the leper.
• 25:09
  SPEAKER_00: Omaha's going down.
• 25:11
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, yeah, that's not gonna be successful.
• 25:14
  SPEAKER_02: And you know, I can remember how hurtful that was because I was I was so much more accepted in the business community, in the business world than I was in the dirt.
• 25:23
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 25:24
  SPEAKER_00: Well, goodness.
• 25:25
  SPEAKER_00: Um, yeah.
• 25:26
  SPEAKER_02: So stay long enough, they let you be boss Lamanda.
• 25:30
  SPEAKER_02: I know that's right.
• 25:31
  SPEAKER_00: Uh Lamanda coming in pre-made boss.
• 25:33
  SPEAKER_00: So I think that's uh that's how that worked here.
• 25:35
  SPEAKER_00: But there has been a lot of change in rescue ministries and your time and the time that I spent at to be at TRM is a little bit longer than yours.
• 25:43
  SPEAKER_00: But uh um there the times have changed, the needs have changed, the way we approach it has changed.
• 25:51
  SPEAKER_00: But one thing that hasn't changed, and you made that very clear, and that is the gospel.
• 25:56
  SPEAKER_00: Uh sharing the good news of Jesus Christ.
• 25:58
  SPEAKER_00: That does not change.
• 25:59
  SPEAKER_00: It changes maybe you you talked about gender neutral rooms, you talked, you know, the some of those things that you have uh stepped up on the street.
• 26:08
  SPEAKER_02: You know, when people come in off the streets, oftentimes from street ministry, we have to have them breathize.
• 26:13
  SPEAKER_02: If they breathe too high, then we have to send them to detox.
• 26:18
  SPEAKER_02: I'm not gonna let you choke on your vomit in my bunkhouse and die.
• 26:21
  SPEAKER_02: Not gonna happen.
• 26:22
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but if you are under if you'll go to bed and sleep it off, you can go to our donuts with the director in the morning.
• 26:29
  SPEAKER_02: And um, that's a little come to Jesus meeting.
• 26:32
  SPEAKER_02: We call it all that internally.
• 26:33
  SPEAKER_02: But you can't call it that, Barry and Lamanda, because if you say come to Jesus meeting, nobody's showing up.
• 26:38
  SPEAKER_02: Right.
• 26:38
  SPEAKER_00: If you call it donuts with director, donuts with director, same thing, huh?
• 26:42
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, good code.
• 26:44
  SPEAKER_02: And so um the men's director is there and uh he's offering the coffee and donuts and saying, hey, listen, you came in last night under the employment and uh emergency services.
• 26:56
  SPEAKER_02: Now you have not made a commitment to life change, so we're not gonna hold you to that.
• 26:59
  SPEAKER_02: But let what we're gonna hold you to is we have two rules here.
• 27:02
  SPEAKER_02: Uh, one is that we have a zero tolerance policy on violence towards others or yourself.
• 27:08
  SPEAKER_02: You choose to be under the influence and not manage in your life, that's a violent self-harm to yourself, and we're not gonna allow that.
• 27:14
  SPEAKER_02: In fact, we're not gonna enable you.
• 27:16
  SPEAKER_02: So if you want to continue that lifestyle, you're gonna have to go to one of the other shelters, or you can choose to stay here and participate in a resource case management or strength-based case management, and we're gonna offer you resources to uh help you never become homeless again.
• 27:31
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, what a great opportunity.
• 27:32
  SPEAKER_00: I think you may have just sparked a new ministry at Topeka Rescue Mission with Donuts with the Director.
• 27:37
  SPEAKER_00: I see Lamanda writing this down now.
• 27:40
  SPEAKER_02: You gotta go to Lamanda, you gotta send one of your gift officers out to get the day old donuts.
• 27:44
  SPEAKER_02: That's right.
• 27:45
  SPEAKER_02: Let me tell you, those Dunkin' Dale donuts, the high bee dale donuts, uh, the pettits, high beat, those uh pettits, man, those day old donuts, those come in really handy.
• 27:57
  SPEAKER_00: They do.
• 27:57
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I had a fresh donut uh many years after working at the rescue mission.
• 28:00
  SPEAKER_00: I go, what's wrong with this?
• 28:01
  SPEAKER_02: It's not I know it don't.
• 28:03
  SPEAKER_00: It's too soft, yeah.
• 28:05
  SPEAKER_00: Anyway, yeah.
• 28:05
  SPEAKER_00: Well, Candace, you're fascinating to talk with, and we would let us spend more time.
• 28:09
  SPEAKER_00: But before we run out of time today, talk to us about the ministries of open door in Omaha.
• 28:15
  SPEAKER_02: Sure.
• 28:16
  SPEAKER_02: Um, well, we have uh 15 acres on our main campus, and our ready house is a women and family facility.
• 28:25
  SPEAKER_02: Um, as I mentioned, we're in overflow.
• 28:27
  SPEAKER_02: Uh we do offer emergency services there, a new life recovery program, journey to work program.
• 28:34
  SPEAKER_02: Uh, we also have our veterans housing first, and our learning center, which offers GED, our school program, and of course our summer program.
• 28:42
  SPEAKER_02: Next door to that is our men's center.
• 28:44
  SPEAKER_02: Um, not only does it have our emergency service for men, but it offers our clinic, our free health and wellness clinic for gold standard.
• 28:51
  SPEAKER_02: Um, we have two exam rooms, 300 medical professionals, five medical team members on our paid staff, and then um we have 11 infirmary rooms.
• 29:01
  SPEAKER_02: We also um in that area have our community kitchen and dining rooms.
• 29:05
  SPEAKER_02: So you don't have to live here to eat here, and we serve about 5,000 meals per day in our food service programs, whether it be a hot meal, cold, sack lunch, uh maybe a snack, uh could be in our consumer food pantry where it's the all-consumer choice.
• 29:20
  SPEAKER_02: Um, we also um in that next door to that building have a rebuilding life center, and that's uh 93 SRO units.
• 29:28
  SPEAKER_02: On the first floor is our ULIF recovery program, our step-up program, our aftercare program is uh is uh house there for us counselors, our licensed mental health and uh behavior health team is right is centered there, as well as our veterans housing first and permit supportive housing for men.
• 29:48
  SPEAKER_02: Uh next door to that is our hospitality center that'll open in April.
• 29:52
  SPEAKER_02: We'll be able to sit almost a thousand people in the new hospitality center.
• 29:56
  SPEAKER_02: We have our volunteer hub, it'll be where our new chapel is.
• 30:00
  SPEAKER_02: And right now we've outgrown our chapel, and so chapel will be in a mutual place.
• 30:04
  SPEAKER_02: Um, it's not just chapel, it's chapel and refreshments.
• 30:08
  SPEAKER_02: And so after chapel, we'll have coffee and refreshments.
• 30:12
  SPEAKER_02: It could be mission fresh, or you might want to try it out because it could be uh something better.
• 30:18
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and then next door to that is one of our uh three outreach centers.
• 30:22
  SPEAKER_02: We see we actually empower almost 22,000 families to remain in their own homes through homeless prevention resources.
• 30:29
  SPEAKER_02: They can come and supplement their income once a month, or if they're a senior twice a month.
• 30:34
  SPEAKER_02: Uh, they also uh have in that building uh the uh um we call it our uh free veterinarian clinic uh that serves over 100 on the third Sunday of the month.
• 30:47
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and that's through our homeless coalition, we're able to offer services for pre-vaccinations, nail cookings, things like that to impoverished uh families and others that are experiencing homelessness for their pets.
• 31:00
  SPEAKER_02: Um, we also next door to that have our plaza hut, which who would have thought that we'd have a drive-in uh freezer cooler.
• 31:09
  SPEAKER_02: And boy, has that extended our ministry.
• 31:11
  SPEAKER_02: I've got two researchers over there right now because I can't keep up with the frozen goods.
• 31:16
  SPEAKER_02: We have a warehouse that allows us to keep 700 skins of donated product on property.
• 31:23
  SPEAKER_02: I don't have to beg for warehouse space anymore in our community.
• 31:26
  SPEAKER_02: Our outreach center, as I mentioned, uh empowers about 20 to 8,000 families a month through that industry.
• 31:33
  SPEAKER_02: And then over here at the administration building, nobody comes to visit us because this is where our donations are processed, our major gift officers are located.
• 31:42
  SPEAKER_02: And then our toy and joy shop, uh, which will open here in a couple of days, will serve close to 10,000 families in our toy and joy shop.
• 31:49
  SPEAKER_02: Um, that looks like um a fabulous wally world with Christmas lights.
• 31:54
  SPEAKER_02: But uh parents will come and choose their items for their children to be under the tree.
• 31:59
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and also um we turn that into our celebration carnival in the summer.
• 32:04
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and then uh we actually flip it for adopt a guest.
• 32:08
  SPEAKER_02: We have over 917 guests that will be experiencing homelessness, and we have sponsors that have wrapped up to$100 worth of value of to make a gift bag for each of those persons so that they can receive a gift bag on Christmas morning.
• 32:22
  SPEAKER_00: I want to congratulate you, compliment you on, if nothing else, remembering all of that.
• 32:27
  SPEAKER_00: Uh that's a lot.
• 32:29
  SPEAKER_00: That is a lot.
• 32:30
  SPEAKER_02: Boy, the the the That's what I can remember at the moment.
• 32:33
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 32:34
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 32:35
  SPEAKER_00: So um so you are in a transition yourself to um find someone else to take uh and fill your role.
• 32:43
  SPEAKER_02: I am raising them up.
• 32:45
  SPEAKER_00: Uh-huh, raising them up.
• 32:46
  SPEAKER_02: So that's a big There's got to be somebody here within this harvest field that's gonna fall.
• 32:52
  SPEAKER_02: I just don't know it yet.
• 32:53
  SPEAKER_00: The first test is to repeat what you just said, at least get 50% of it right.
• 32:57
  SPEAKER_00: That's a lot of ministry.
• 32:59
  SPEAKER_00: That's that's amazing.
• 33:00
  SPEAKER_00: And and Lamanda, that's that's really kind of what's cool about Citigate Network is that you get to hear what Candace is doing in Omaha.
• 33:06
  SPEAKER_00: People have heard about Topeka, you've heard uh um um uh Fresno uh here recently, uh different ministries around the country, which you know, there is a lot of confusion today.
• 33:19
  SPEAKER_00: There's a lot of polarization politically, um, philosophically about a lot of things.
• 33:24
  SPEAKER_00: And and the thing I like about rescue ministry is that it stays true um to loving our neighbors, to being in the gap to help people, and not swaying with the politics, not swaying with the popular, not swaying with the controversy, but say here's where we are, and sometimes it means a donut with the director, um with your guests, and uh to be able to help them.
• 33:49
  SPEAKER_00: But what an incredible thing for people if they're looking today, um, whoever's listening to this, if you're looking today for something that's pretty solid, that really is authentic and it's wask walking out the gospel, it's rescue ministries.
• 34:03
  SPEAKER_00: Uh perfect?
• 34:04
  SPEAKER_00: No, not at all.
• 34:05
  SPEAKER_00: Very imperfect, but true and authentic.
• 34:09
  SPEAKER_00: And um, and I think that's where sometimes we kind of wonder where where's Jesus?
• 34:14
  SPEAKER_00: You know, where is he today in this world?
• 34:16
  SPEAKER_00: And we find him in rescue missions.
• 34:18
  SPEAKER_02: I think we're a solid investment.
• 34:20
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, regardless of the season.
• 34:22
  SPEAKER_02: I think um, Lamanda, you can say that you guys are good stewards of your resources, your time, and your monetary gifts.
• 34:29
  SPEAKER_02: Yes.
• 34:29
  SPEAKER_02: And we're a solid investment.
• 34:31
  SPEAKER_02: And I think that another thing that's great about CityGate is we share.
• 34:36
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, we have peer-to-peer visits.
• 34:38
  SPEAKER_02: We have uh here in Omaha last year, we had over a hundred uh rescue missions, food banks, uh facilities that visited us, and we learn as much as they do when people come to visit and work.
• 34:51
  SPEAKER_02: We share.
• 34:52
  SPEAKER_02: And I think that's the best part is we don't have to recreate wheels.
• 34:56
  SPEAKER_02: We can share.
• 34:57
  SPEAKER_02: Um, we have Dan Speeder coming in from Michigan uh in the new year, bringing his leadership team, and we and they think they're coming to learn from us, but we're gonna prick their brains and all that.
• 35:08
  SPEAKER_02: I think that's the best part.
• 35:10
  SPEAKER_02: We we have a CEO women's group, and every month we have one hour that we commit to just as CEO women supporting one another.
• 35:20
  SPEAKER_02: And um we pray for one another, we mentor one another.
• 35:23
  SPEAKER_02: Um, in that call, we have a 20-minute hot topic item, and there are some hot topics very in leadership that be aware of that we talk about.
• 35:32
  SPEAKER_02: Um we have a 20-minute devotional, and then we have a 20-minute networking, and it's amazing when you get 90 women that are together in this CEO uh Zoom.
• 35:42
  SPEAKER_02: You you have people that are looking for people to talk to, whether it's a PR issue, a marketing issue, somebody has gone through it.
• 35:49
  SPEAKER_02: And it's great seeing those two people connect and be able to offline and be able to help one another.
• 35:55
  SPEAKER_00: Because this uh particular kind of work can be very isolating and you can feel like you're on an island by yourself and you're not, and that's the value of this.
• 36:01
  SPEAKER_00: Candace, thank you for joining us today.
• 36:04
  SPEAKER_00: Um uh taking time out of a busy day.
• 36:06
  SPEAKER_00: You've got some big events coming up today, and we uh promised we would uh let you go uh in time to be able to go do that.
• 36:13
  SPEAKER_00: So uh Candace, is there anything, one last thing you'd like to share with the uh listeners of our community, our mission?
• 36:19
  SPEAKER_02: I just want to encourage you um that if you're tuning in today um and you support TRM, um, I want to challenge you, go and have a tour.
• 36:29
  SPEAKER_02: See what you're supporting for yourself.
• 36:32
  SPEAKER_02: Second of all, um, if you would just donate two hours of your time each month, that's 12 months, that's 24 hours, one day that you would give back to TRM one day of 365, breaking the cycle of homeless and poverty, wouldn't that community look different if that would happen?
• 36:50
  SPEAKER_02: It would be life-changing and you would be seeing more miracles every day.
• 36:55
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, well, what a great, what a great word, and thank you for that encouragement.
• 36:58
  SPEAKER_00: And also for the person who would be volunteering or investing, it's life-changing for them as well.
• 37:03
  SPEAKER_00: And so uh Candace Gregory, who is president CEO of Open Door uh Mission in Omahahaha, Nebraska.
• 37:10
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you for joining us today.
• 37:12
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, thank you.
• 37:14
  SPEAKER_00: For all of you who would like uh to know more information about the Pika Rescue Mission, you can go to trmonline.org.
• 37:20
  SPEAKER_00: That's TRMonline.org.
• 37:23
  SPEAKER_00: There's still time to help out with your own giving.
• 37:25
  SPEAKER_00: There's also time to volunteer, there's also opportunities for you to give for Christmas distribution.
• 37:30
  SPEAKER_00: So thank you for being a part of our community, our microphone.