04/27/2026
It’s time to make plans for the 14th annual Feeding Christ’s Children summer food program! This ecumenical outreach project helps Stoddard County children with nutritional needs when school is dismissed for the summer. Children served by the Stoddard County Gospel Mission are invited to pick up filled bags of food at the Mission locations in Dexter or Puxico each Tuesday during the month of July.
Kellye Shotwell, Director of the Stoddard County Gospel Mission, has suggested providing items in 75 bags each week and include a protein item each week. We received additional donations last year that enabled us to provide protein items 2 of the weeks, bacon 1 week and sausage another week, and the feedback was very positive. Kellye thinks the families of the children would be better served if we provided for 75 each week and included a protein with every bag, as follows:
Each Tuesday in July, children will receive:
1 breakfast option
2 lunch options
2 snack options
1 fruit option
In addition to the above, each child will receive the following protein item:
Week 1 Bacon
Week 2 Sausage
Week 3 Ground beef
Week 4 Pork chops
The estimated cost per child for all 4 weeks in July, including the protein item, is $32. Will you sponsor a child for $32? Your donation of $32 will provide one Stoddard County child with a food bag for 4 weeks this summer, as well as meat each week for their families.
Donations can be made payable to First Christian Church with a memo of Feeding Christ’s Children and mailed to the church at PO Box 295, 224 East Stoddard, Dexter, MO 63841. Any donations received over the amount needed to fund this year's program will remain in a designated account maintained by First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) to carry over to 2027.
Mercy Stoddard has volunteered to unpack the boxes of food and organize them to fill the weekly bags. If you would like to help pack bags of food, packing night will be Tuesday, June 16 at 6:00 p.m. at First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Disciple Center, 224 East Stoddard in Dexter, Missouri. If a second packing night is needed, it will be Tuesday, June 23 at 6:00 p.m. SEMO Electric employees deliver the packed bags to Stoddard County Gospel Mission each year. We are very appreciative of Mercy Stoddard and SEMO Electric for supporting our Stoddard County communities.
Can we count on your assistance? If you have any questions, I can be reached the following ways:
Email Address [email protected]
Cell Phone 573.820.2609
I look forward to working with you to shine God’s love and light to children this summer!
Sincerely,
Kellie Reese
Matthew 25:35-40 ~ “for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.” Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?” And the king will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.”
