Mission to feed the homeless is successful

As of last September (2007), over 6800 meals have been served to the homeless and impoverished families of the Westport area of Kansas City, MO. We are so thankful to the dedication of our contributors and volunteers who have sacrificed much to make this kind of success possible. We have many who contributed of their time and cooking talents to make nutritious meals for the individuals in need. In addition to the immediate need for a meal, we also try to provide for those who are unable to come in or need to have a meal for another day, so we provide to-go boxes for these situations. For those who are traveling through KC and walking to other cities or states, we provide food that is easily transported and eaten.
Currently we are selling entertainment coupon books that are good for what ever state or city you are from, to help raise funds to continue feeding people and provide other services. These coupon books sell for $20 in the KC area and $25 if you are out of state. If you or someone you know is interested in purchasing one of these books to help feed the homeless and get some great discounts for yourself, please contact us @ 816-960-7211 or atkinsh2000@yahoo.com and reference the entertainment coupon book in the subject line. Just to give you some facts on how much this will buy, $20 will feed about 40 people a nutritious meal. Thank you in advance for your dedication to feeding nutritious meals to those in need.

HART Ministries - Vision for the Future

Our vision for the future in the Westport area is to become a place that is not just a part of the community but is like an organ in the human body that can not be lost or it is no longer a functioning body. We are focused on bringing healing and restoration to every person who enters our dors in some way, shape, or form. In our attempt to do this we provide a number of different avenues for healing to occur. We provide nutritious meals three days a week, clothing and hygiene supplies one day a week and on an emergency basis, and a community resource center that is open three days a week. In addition, we have opportunities for spiritual and emotional healing to take place, through our worship services and our prayer room, which is open to the public.
We are looking to our community now for help to build this place. So, if you are interested in bringing healing and restoration to the lives of individuals or are in need of this in your own life, we are interested in meeting you and working with you to help this vision come true.

HART Ministries Community Resources Center Overview

HART MINISTRIES
COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTER

Peggy Johannes BA, CRS - Community Resource Specialist
Randall Lawrence BSN/RN, FCN - Faith Community Nurse


HART Ministries Community Resource Center is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday from 9:30 am – 3:30 pm, and Friday 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm. We can be contacted at (816) 960-7211 to set an appointment, walk-ins are welcome.

Peggy and Randall completed a Faith Community Nurse / Health ministry course in May of 2008. The course was sponsored by William Jewell College and Liberty Hospital. The topics covered in the course were: health, healing and wholeness in the faith community, history and philosophy of parish nursing and the function of a parish nurse (faith community nurse/health minister), ethics and legal issues, self care, assessments: individual, family, and congregation, functions of the parish nurse: integrator of faith & health and personal health counselor, health educator, health advocate, referral agent, coordinator of volunteers, and assessing and developing support groups. Other topics covered included functioning within a ministerial team, health promotion and wellness, prayer and worship leader, grief and loss, family violence, and documentation. Taking this course provided new opportunities for us to serve the community.
We would recommend this course to anyone seeking to bring health care ministry into their areas of worship. For anyone interested in the Parish Nursing / Faith Community Nursing / Health Ministry course you can contact: Joyce Bouyear at JBOUYEAR@libertyhospital.org for information and registration.

What makes us different from other resource centers is the Faith Community Nursing and Health Ministry aspect. We incorporate spirituality into each experience through prayer and scriptural teachings. In previous work experiences Randall and Peggy believed there was a major void. That void was God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. We believe that because the Community Resource Center is one aspect of HART Ministries we are better able to address the complete person; body, mind, spirit, emotion, and relationships.

As the Community Resource Specialist (CRS), I function as an advocate for individuals seeking to improve their lives. My background is in addictions, I have worked in several local drug and alcohol treatment centers. Many of the patrons of HART Ministries are homeless individuals who have drug and alcohol issues along with mental illnesses. I facilitate admissions into detox, and drug and alcohol treatment programs. Support is also offered for intervention and relapse prevention. For those who suffer with mental illness, I monitor changes in behavior and address issues as they arise. As needed they are referred to local mental health agencies for psychiatric assistance.
Lack of housing and unemployment are also major issues which are addressed. I assist in locating emergency shelter upon request, as well as, permanent housing. Many of the patrons of HART Ministries utilize the local temp work agencies. For those seeking permanent work, they receive assistance with writing resumes, on line job searches, and preparing for interviews.


As the Faith Community Nurse (FCN), my focus is on prevention and intervention. I provide health education, health and medication consultations, blood pressure checks, and address other health related concerns. In the event of crisis involving medical issues I provide input in regards to appropriate action. I help to orchestrate access and utilization of community medical resources. I work with the Community Resource Specialist in facilitating services for those with substance abuse issues.

Other areas addressed through the Community Resource Center are Dental, optical, domestic violence, addressing behavioral issues, referrals for emergency assistance with rent, utilities, and food pantries. We also have a bulletin board displaying monthly themes.

HART Ministries Worship

Worship services at HART Ministries are held Wednesday at 7:00 PM and Sunday at 2:30 PM