Homeless Prevention:  Can you imagine being left in a house with five children and no electricity. . .and in these frigid temperatures?  That's the predicament Kelley presented as she made request for benevolent assistance this week.  "My husband left us to find work out of town and he won't come back home to help me."    Kelley discussed the challenges and barriers she faced in resolving her dilemma:

• Her husband has been the sole provider;

• She has limited work experience;

• She has no resources for childcare to look for employment. . .two children are not of school age;

• Limited family assistance (generational poverty);

• Lack of education (completed 11^th grade);

Now you might be saying, "What has Kelley been trying to do to help herself"?  That's a good question. . .a question we take very seriously.

• Kelley's been seeing a professional counselor to address lack of coping skills/decision making skills;

• Kelley started attending a local church in December at the encouragement/invitation of her counselor;

• Kelley's been working odd jobs for friends. . .this enabled her to work while providing care for her two small children.  She's been using the money earned to buy propane bottles at $18 each which heated heat for a small area for two days;

• Kelley's identified where and when GED classes are held. . .she hopes to begin after she secures employment

• Has submitted application for other assistance that would provide temporary income and child care..."I had to wait for

school to reopen after holidays to obtain what I needed to go with my application."

Kelley and her children have been without electricity since December 27^th.  Your faithful support enabled  Mission Outreach to step in with the financial aid, to not only restore power to this home, but provide other supportive services to identify and assist her in taking the next steps required  to regain self-sufficiency. 

Thank you for your support of Mission Outreach!

Please feel free to forward this report to others who might be interested in our ministry.

 Current Statistics (starting with January 1, 2010)     

• Emergency Shelter Residents today:  28     4 children,  9 females, 15 males    

• Soup Kitchen Meals served to date: 495   Served since last week:  495
• Food Boxes distributed to date:  44
• Medical Clinic patients this month: 0     To date: 0   First clinic of the year is tomorrow night.
• Prescriptions filled this month: 0      To date:  0       
• Individuals receiving financial assistance for utility, rent, transportation and prescription assistance: 20

 Volunteers wanted: Want to be a part of an exciting, life-changing ministry. . .Contact Jamie TODAY!

Housing the Homeless. . .Feeding the Hungry. . .Caring for the Sick

 Jamie Collins

Mission Outreach of Northeast Arkansas, Inc

P.O. Box 1122

901 East Lake Street

Paragould, AR   72451-1122

870-236-8080

870-236-1216 fax

www.missionoutreachnea.com