The Stoddard County Gospel Mission (SCGM) in Dexter has helped thousands of people during hard times and they would like to continue doing that for many years to come. The past three years have been unsteady for the Mission and with all the newer programs starting up in local places, it is hard for the Mission to receive the care and donations that they received in earlier years that helped them maintain their promise and motto “A Helping Hand in a Time of Need”.

There are many new programs in the area that offer food to families and those are great and helpful programs but the problem is that these programs are both regional and national but not local. There are many needs throughout our world and country but we must not overlook the needs in our own community.

There have been many ups and downs at the SCGM just like there has been in many other places throughout the years but the last three years in particular have been slowly sliding down hill. Food donations have slowed down, so SCGM have been facing many different challenges when it comes to low supply and high demand.

A couple of years ago, the SCGM received countless donations along with the ability of being able to purchase or receive donations of can goods and other foods from the Food Bank in Cape Girardeau so they could keep their stock and supply fresh and ready for whoever needed it. Recently, larger organizations that have a broader range of areas that they donate to have been collecting the food that the Gospel Mission used to receive.

The local Wal-Mart in Dexter was also one of SCGM’s main resources for supply. Wal-Mart used to donate day-old bread and other foods that went out of date. The Mission would pick up the food and stock their own shelves so that they could give to the needy. Now, SCGM lost another source that they used to receive from. Wal-Mart is now giving all that leftover food to the Food Bank in Cape just like the other organizations. Wal-Mart would love to keep donating because they know of all the good that SCGM brings to the community but it is simply a corporate ordeal.

The flow of food has slowed tremendously and it has caused SCGM to slow down with it. The food that is being donated to organizations like Feed America and other large food pantries that we often hear about are not reaching our local needs. Our community’s food drives and other types of donations are helping out regional or national places while our local people are not benefitting much at all from our efforts. There is something truly special about donating to other causes like Feed America but we must not forget to help the ones in our community that are also in need.

Donations of food and other goods are crucial to our community. The Stoddard County Gospel Mission has three different branches that are located in Dexter, Puxico, and Advance. In Stoddard County alone, the SCGM feeds approximately 1,200 families monthly. In Puxico there are about 250 to 300 families in Advance, there are about 200 families that benefit from the Mission.

People do not realize that there has been such a need for supplies at our local Gospel Mission and that is why County Wide Insurance hosted a Stuff-A-Truck event with the old Civil Defense Truck. We become a drop off point for a wide variety of foods so that we can offer help to our local Gospel Mission. Our slogan is: “To insure that people have plenty, help the Stoddard County Gospel Mission” and we hope that it is a successful event! You can help bring not only canned goods but frozen and refrigerated foods as well. We hope that this is a great way to jumpstart the Mission and get things flowing again so that our community can stay healthy, strong, and united.

For more information you can contact the Stoddard County Gospel Mission at 573-624-8979.