By Raylene Quaney, Help House

At the first of October, the Help House Coat Closet opened for regular business hours and will remain open throughout the month. Help House accepts donations of coats currently in all sizes for men, women, and children. Children’s coats are always in short supply. If you have good, clean coats in your closets at home that you no longer wear and would like to pass them along to someone who is need of a good warm coat for the winter, we would appreciate your donation.

Prom Shop

We realize this is a little early to be thinking of prom, but the prom shop will be open in February, and we are accepting donations of dresses for this event. This will be the third annual shopping experience for any girls in the Osage County area. If you have any dresses that have been worn for homecoming or last year’s proms and they are taking up space in your closets and will not be worn again, please consider donating them to the prom shop. Then someone who cannot afford to go out and purchase their special dress can still shop for the one that makes them feel like a queen. We do not charge for these; they are all given out at no charge.

Almost here: Drop box for clothes and shoes

We have heard you and are trying to make it a little easier for those who wish to donate shoes and clothing at your convenience. We are expecting to add an outside drop box that will set under the roof at the front of the building. Only shoes and clothing will be able to be deposited there. No liquids, or household items. It will be necessary to place your items in smaller bags to deposit them into the box.

Presbyterians provide funds for food pantry

We also would like to thank the Osage City Presbyterian Church for the $1,000 donation to the Help House Food Pantry. It is greatly appreciated and much needed. Help House purchases as much food for the pantry as possible from Harvesters for pennies on the dollar; their supply has been down, creating the need for us to purchase meat and other items locally. We are blessed to have local grocery stores to work with when this is necessary.

Hunters: USDA inspected deer meat welcomed as donations

Farmers or deer hunters who have extra meat this fall to donate, we are happy to accept it as long as it has been processed in a USDA inspected facility and has the USDA stamp on the packaging.

Check out counter donations help

Help House is very grateful to Mid Town Market, Carbondale, for their continued support by allowing customers to make donations to Help House when checking out. They have recently presented another donation of $175. If you shop at Mid Town Market and have rounded-up your purchase or made a donation when checking out, we want to thank you.

Volunteering is personally rewarding

Have you been thinking of volunteering? Help House could use volunteers 4-7 p.m. Monday evenings, and 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Fridays. If you are only able to volunteer one or two days a month that is fine also. Stop by anytime and fill out a volunteer application and visit with staff about the areas of service, such as the pantry, sorting, reception, and receiving. Come join the Help House family. We believe that you will find your service to God and others will be very rewarding and fun.

Churches’ support welcomed

Do you know if your church is a supporting member of the Help House ministry? Help House was founded by several churches in Osage County and others who have come along side since the ministry began in 2003. We invite all churches in Osage County to join in for the purpose of providing emergency assistance for the basic needs of individuals and families in our county. If you would like someone to speak at your church or service group about what Help House does and how its programs work, call the office at 785-828-4888 or e-mail osagecountyhh@gmail.com.

Help House is supported by contributions, donations, grants, and volunteers. Without our wonderful and faithful staff of volunteers we could not keep our doors open. So, we invite you and your church family to come join us. It is a ministry that not only blesses those we serve but those of us who are there to be of service.

For more information, stop in at 131 W. 15th St., Lyndon, Kan., see www.helphouse.online, call 785-828-4888, or email osagecountyhh@gmail.com.