The community service program at the Redmond Church was established in approximately 1985. The program served 2,382 families in 2015 and gave out more than $4,000 of food. Volunteers also gave out more than 5,300 pieces of clothing.
The current services are directed from a facility located at Ninth and Glacier on the grounds of the Redmond Church. Its hours of operation are Tuesdays 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The primary mission of the facility is to offer assistance with food, clothing and household items.
John Kelly took over as director in 2008, with Jeanne Brower as assistant director. Brower has been a part of the community center since 1987. The regular volunteer staff workers are Claudia Cordis, Ivarine Craig, Ruth Greenway, Esther Grimsley, Verda Harding, Joan Peterson, Lupe Perry, Earl Ropp and Arland Sanborn.
Sanborn and John Kelly help with transportation and supply procurement. They obtain food supplies on Monday, before the center opens on Tuesday, and bread is picked up early Tuesday morning.
The majority of these people have been active in the center for the past eight years. Procurement and distribution of food, clothing and household items occupy the major portion of the time the facility is open.
Applicants seek help by completing a form with family information, what food they need and other needs. Each Tuesday morning before the program opens, the workers have morning prayer and a devotional. Perry provides bilingual support to help families fill out the proper paperwork. Perry, 91, has been working at the center since 1996.
The food is boxed for each family, and then the family picks up the food at a drive-up window. Verda Harding and Ester Grimsley run a clothing and household items area, free to those who need these items. The program is blessed to have many volunteers, even more than needed, to help.
Kelly was asked at a meeting, “How do we get so much help?”
"You make it fun," he answered.
The Lord has blessed the community center with plenty of helpers, food and the opportunity to help others in the community.
The clothing center offers families free clothing.
Lupe Perry, age 91, checks people in.
Volunteers box up food for families in need.
The community service program has more help than it even needs.
