By Paige Youmans
Illness. Accident. Job loss. Eviction. For some Lexington County residents, these issues could result in a sense of helplessness and hopelessness. Enter Mission Lexington, a coordinated response for those who find themselves amid a crisis. Founded in 1978, Mission Lexington serves as the hub of care, assisting families and individuals in crisis with major essentials: food, clothing, shelter, resources, and guidance. With its mission based on Matthew 25:40 to “glorify God by serving our neighbors in crisis,” the Mission operates a thrift store, social service information center, food bank, and donation center. With a limited full-time staff coordinating efforts, the Mission counts among their network partners many local businesses, government agencies, corporations, organizations, individuals, and more than 50 member churches who sustain and support their vision.
Executive Director Robin Bowers has continued to ensure the success of the Mission’s programs and its ongoing financial stability. This includes maintaining independence as well as overseeing the expansion and restructuring of facilities to accommodate the needs of the ever-expanding Lexington population. Under Bowers’ leadership, the Mission has seen the percentage of families and individuals served increase exponentially. Amy Reeves, Director of Community Relations, notes that “Lexington County is growing at a rate of 13% annually, and the number of our neighbors in need is growing.” This has resulted in a staggering increase in the numbers served by the Mission. Each month the food pantry assists 1200 families and an additional 170 seniors through the mobile food pantry outreach. During the holidays roughly 2000 families are accommodated with holiday food baskets and 700 families receive gifts to place under the tree. In addition to food and basic hygiene provisions, the Mission also provides clothing. Reeves adds that the Mission has distributed $95,000 in clothing vouchers this year, which comes to about $8,000 a month in clothing provided for eligible clients.
As a fiscally savvy visionary, Bowers proudly notes that the thrift shop funds the operational budget, ensuring the Mission remains financially sound, which is often a difficult status for nonprofit organizations to secure. The Mission continues to seek community support through financial contributions, donations of basic necessities, and volunteers to deliver quality services to Lexington County residents in crisis. There are many opportunities to get involved, such as signature events that include Undercover Buddies in October (formerly “Socktober”), a local drive to restock clothing shelves with essentials for residents in need. In November, Mission Lexington hosted its annual “Oyster Roast for a Reason,” a night of awareness for neighbors in need. Not only did the event celebrate the Mission’s successes and its comradery with the community, but it also raised funds to allow for upcoming projects. In response to the generosity of the community, Reeves enthusiastically states, “We are so thankful for our volunteers, donors, and partners in prayer that continue to support Mission Lexington.”
To witness firsthand how Mission Lexington operates, the staff of Our Town toured the facilities and worked in the thrift shop, donation center, and food bank. We were warmly welcomed with a summary of the infrastructure and allowed to shadow the staff and regular volunteers. It was amazing to see how smoothly volunteers and staff worked in a coordinated effort to organize the multitude of food, clothing, and product donations. The facility has successfully implemented and honed donation acceptance and distribution procedures to efficiently serve the community, ensure the effective use of volunteer time, and simplify the process to allow for intermittent untrained help (like us). It is an impressive operation that answers the needs and prayers of Lexington County individuals and families in crisis. Thank you to the folks at Mission Lexington for opening your doors to Our Town Magazine and granting time to serve alongside you!
