The City Welfare Mission recently mailed out its annual year-end report, listing families helped and renewing the call for assistance.

Tuesday, March 27, 2001

The City Welfare Mission recently mailed out its annual year-end report, listing families helped and renewing the call for assistance.

"Each year around Easter, we try to send out the annual report of the Mission and share with you what God has allowed us to do here in ministering to the needs of a lot of folks in Lawrence County," wrote the Rev. James Cremeans, mission director and pastor.

As of Dec. 31, 2000, the mission gave assistance to a total of 4,125 families with 6,865 adults and 5,198 children; and helped 466 homeless.

Now in his 34th year, the Rev. Cremeans recalled how the mission started 56 years ago in a converted saloon building on the corner of Third and Lawrence Streets. For the past 27 years, it has been at 710 N. Fifth St.

Cremeans thanked those who give each day, each month and each year who help maintain the mission’s work.

– 1,262 families received food orders.

– 138 families got help paying utilities, while 39 were helped with rent and 26 were helped with medical or other expenses.

– 1,813 families received new or used clothing.

– 32 prescriptions were filled.

– 318 families received furniture, including 18 families who lost homes to fire.

– 440 meals were served at Thanksgiving.

– 1,085 children received toys for Christmas, while 661 families received Christmas food baskets.

– 328 homeless received lodging assistance.

– 62 children were helped to attend summer youth camp.

– A total of 9,610 meals were served in the mission.

"The needs of the people of our city and county are still many; it seems that we are always behind in other areas for whatever reason," he wrote. "As long as the friends of the mission stand with us there will always be a Mission."

The mission is in need of monthly supporters who will send a gift of any size. And, it always stands in need of furniture, clothing and household items that can be passed along to those in need, Cremeans said.

For more information, and to help, contact the City Welfare Mission on North Fifth Street, or call the office at 532-5041.