Metropolitan Lutheran Ministry

Target demographics: Connect those in need with food, housing, health care, education, employment services, and other resources.

Direct beneficiaries per year: 10,260 Households received food assistance in KCK, NKC, and KCMO; 1,469 families received Christmas gifts; 54 households received $72,992 in medical and dental assistance; 9,000 sack lunches for hungry clients; 120 breakfast served weekly in KCK and KCMO, 460 seniors received commodities boxes monthly; 177 homeless households obtained housing; 54 homes received minor home repairs; and $1M in PPE was distributed to over 230 metro area non-profits in response to COVID-19

Geographic areas served: Kansas City, MO and Kansas City, KS

Programs: The path to self-sufficiency can sometimes begin at the most basic level of need. Mlm's community care centers provide food, rent and utility assistance, legal documents, household hygiene items, diapers, minor home repairs, permanent supportive housing, Christmas store, and orchard and garden. Mlm's food pantries serve 30 clients per day, receiving food for themselves and their families. 10,260 households received food from our pantries in 2020 , including 460 older adult households which were provided with senior commodities each month. The Saturday breakfast ministry provided 120 meals served weekly to Kansas and Missouri individuals in midtown Kansas City, Missouri and Northeast Kansas City, Kansas. $1.6M was provided in emergency rent, mortgage, and utility assistance; preventing them from the threat of homelessness. 352 children were provided with monthly diapers.

MLM operates two permanent housing locations to serve the needs of chronically homeless, disabled and mentally ill individuals. Permanent, supportive housing has been shown to be the most effective method for addressing long term homelessness, especially for this population. The first priority for these programs is to get individuals off the streets. However, MLM also provides a number of individualized supports in the area of physical and mental health, socialization, alcohol and smoking cessation, and healthy living with includes: exercise, gardening, and nutrition.

Rarely are families homeless due to a single circumstance and the path back to economic sustainability is often gradual. The family empowerment program provides intensive one-on-one case management to families who need to regain their overall economic stability. Services include long-term assistance with: housing needs, employment support, referrals for supportive services, financial literacy, household skills, and assistance with items such as clothing, bus passes and personal identification based on an assessment of their long-term housing situation, employment, income resources, expenses, debts, and credit rating. Case management is then designed to help clients stop living from crisis to crisis and instead start saving money, reduce their debt and build assets like a car, a home, or an education. To ensure permanent and lasting solutions are in place for our clients, MLM will continue to follow families for up to five years.