Community Services League is #BlueSpringsStrong
The Blue Springs Community Services League (CSL) has long set the standard for helping those in need in our community – serving about 150-200 families per month on average. But during the seven-month long pandemic, Community Services League Director, Melodie Chrisman said she’s serving about 4x that number – about 460-620 families per month – and they are doing so without their usual resources.
“Social Services agencies are here to serve the community, but we weren’t set up to sustain a pandemic of this length,” she said. “Even so, we’re doing our best to ensure we can continue to serve our community through this.”
“If a family did everything right before the pandemic and had six months of savings like what is recommended, but then they were furloughed for seven months – or longer – they would be in trouble right now. And we are here to provide that assistance,” Chrisman added.
Photo by Jaime Russell, Anthem Photography
Since the shut-down started in March, CSL moved to a drive-through model to make sure staff could serve their clients quickly, efficiently and safely. Chrisman said they lost most of their volunteer staff and manpower during that time when almost everyone was staying home. But several in the community stepped up to help with the manual labor and the car-side deliveries. When the County’s guidelines loosened, CSL was able to allow more volunteers and clients inside the building again.
But it’s not just man-power or the increase in clients that have been theprimary struggle, it’s the loss of their usual fundraising and food-drive efforts. Because of the pandemic, CSL lost the Stamp Out Hunger Drive that is usually held in May with Postal Workers and Harvesters. They also lost most of the Scouting for Food drives held in March and April. Additionally, every year they host a Christmas program fundraiser at one of the high schools and this year, they will not be able to do that.
“We really have lost all our usual avenues of supplying our food pantry. With our whole community working together, we’ve been able to sustain ourselves, but now it is looking like we may have to purchase food,” Chrisman said. “So if you are at the grocery store, and you just pick up an extra 2-3 items to donate, that might not seem like a lot to you, but it makes a big impact for us.”
Chrisman said she and her staff work hard to choose items and meals carefully to ensure each family can last several weeks on one trip to CSL. Each family gets meat, dairy, cheese, eggs, bread, and snacks. And throughout the summer local gardeners have been donating fresh produce. Chrisman said they even began adding recipes to the bags to teach clients how to maximize the ingredients they are given.
Photo by Jaime Russell, Anthem Photography
“We are really mindful of the packaging. We deliberately think about meal-planning and snacks so that a family can stretch what we give as long as they can,” Chrisman said. “Every day we have to get creative. We have to ask ourselves, what is our strategy to give the most we can with what we have.”
Chrisman says they are leveraging anything and everything they receive to assist the families that come to them for help. “We are just trying to feed them, to take a burden off their plate. That way they can take the $2-$300 worth of food they would normally purchase and use that money to pay rent, so they don’t lose their home.”
Thankfully, The Blue Springs School District’s Unity Week -- one avenue that CSL usually relies on for food donations that have lasted the organization 3-6 months – will continue this year. Each year during the week of the Blue Springs High School vs. Blue Springs South High School football game, the District encourages all students to bring non-perishable goods to their school to provide for Community Services League. This year, to double down on that effort, the Blue Springs Chamber of Commerce is encouraging the entire community to step up. Donation needs are listed below and can be purchased and left at Cosentino's Price Chopper on South 7 Highway, or dropped off at the Blue Springs Fieldhouse and Police Department.
Items will be collected throughout the community the week of October 12-18 and taken to CSL on Monday, October 19.
“We don’t want to over-burden the community,” Chrisman said. “We know everyone is struggling right now. But in order to keep our mission going, we need the community. For those who can help, we are just so appreciative of anything you can give.”
Thank you to the City of Blue Springs, The Examiner, Community Services League Blue Springs, and Downtown Alive for supporting our local small businesses. Together, we are #BlueSpringsStrong!
Photos by Jaime Russell, Anthem Photography
