College Heights is involved in helping many families as they begin to rebuild. Many of them are just now able to move into FEMA homes or other rented or purchased homes. As they make this transition, we want to ask you to “Adopt-a-Family” by giving to the “Adopt-a-Family” fund. We have estimated that $5,000 per family will help to provide many of the essential furnishings that we all need in our homes. This may include items like pots and pans, silverware, bedding supplies, mattresses, appliances, a television, radio, lamps, dishcloths, just to name a few.

We understand it is helpful to know who your money will be helping. So, we will be naming one of the 150-plus families from our congregation whose home was destroyed or significantly damaged in the May 22 tornado. With their permission, the first names and a photo will be provided of a family you can currently adopt. Your gift can be large or small, and you can give to as many families as you would like. This allows the needs of the family to be met by one or multiple people, all contributing to one family at a time. Once the $5000 goal has been reached for a given family, we will post a new family that can be adopted.

We will work with each family to make sure that the needs they currently have are met. Sometimes these needs change daily, and this will allow us to prevent duplication of items and best meet as many needs as possible for each family. We give you our word that we will treat each gift with the integrity and dignity it deserves, and that 100% of the money designated to “Adopt-a-Family” will go directly to the families posted. Thank you for giving to these families as we work together to help heal Joplin.

If you would like to give a gift to the family below, please click on the following link.
You will be directed to our donation page and asked to register for your own protection.
Choose "Adopt-A-Family" when you are donating.  Thank you.

Family #18
Tim, Monica, Chanel, Desirae, Korina,
Alyssa, Damen, Kaiden, Liam, Ethan, Selah

Tim and Monica’s family were in three different places when the weather turned ominous on May 22. Monica was with their seven younger children at King’s Kids, a program at Central City Christian Church. When the sirens sounded, Monica and the other adults decided to get the children to shelter, so they caravanned on Central City Road towards 32nd Street, thinking they were going away from the storm. They had just turned onto 32nd when a tree landed in front of the first van. Monica, in the second van, rear-ended the first van. Remembering familiar houses she had just passed, she backed up and led them all to her former landlords’ place, who generously opened their home to everyone. They took shelter in the basement and waited, Monica wondering about the rest of her family. Reports on the radio told of all the places in town that had been damaged, and also warned of the possibility of more storms, so everyone stayed in place. Because of the lack of cell phone service, she had no idea about her older children or her husband.

The two teenagers were safe at a church in Riverton. Tim was home. He heard the sirens, and, worried about the potential for hail, took his prized Mustang to a car wash on 32nd Street for coverage. Four other vehicles were sheltering under the stalls as well, and they all saw the tornado coming. Two cars went one way, two cars another, and Tim headed north. As he was driving, he heard a radio report about a touchdown on 7th Street, and having seen what was coming down 32nd, he pulled over around 17th, conflicted about which way would be safe. As it turned out, this was very close to the path of the tornado, but Tim and his Mustang survived.

When the family finally got home, they found a huge hole in their roof, all the doors and windows blown out, and siding ripped off. Fortunately, most of their belongings were safe. They stayed with one of the families with whom they had been caravanning that night. They were able to move back home Labor Day weekend, but have continued working on the house. They are still waiting on kitchen and bathroom cabinets, screen doors, and some siding details, including painting. They are so thankful that their family was safe and appreciate the church wanting to help.