Today, people will gather from across our community in their own homes, with their own family, to share a Thanksgiving meal, and to express thanks to God for HIs provision.  This will be a meal provided by the Lord through the generosity and faithfulness of the community which surrounds and supports Mission Arlington®.

It is no exaggeration to say that thousands of people all across our community joined in this effort to make it possible for this day to be a  blessing for so many families. Because everyone did their part, about 6,000 families (26,000 people) will have what they need for their families on this important day.

Many of you “shouldered the load.” You publicized the need, knocked on doors, sent out e-mails and communicated through social media, so that you could gather the food, load it into trucks, and bring it down to Mission Arlington®.  Others just went out and bought turkeys and Thanksgiving food, driving it down here. We were humbled and honored to the point of tears watching you drive through with such tangible blessings for other people.

Still, others of you gave of your time. You took days off from work, or when you were out of school, and could have been doing so many other things, you still chose to come here for a few hours, or for a day. Your sacrifice has not gone unnoticed. Your hands carried 5,000+ boxes of Thanksgiving food, passing it along assembly lines of people, from one place to another. You went home tired at the end of the day, but hopefully fulfilled, and blessed.

Others have you couldn’t come, but you have prayed, and sent checks of love, so that turkeys would be available, and that we could be here to assist in the activities on this beautiful day.

Today is truly a day of Thanksgiving.  All praise to our heavenly father who keeps his promises, and gives good gifts to his children.  Praise His name for His provisions.

With the Black Friday weekend approaching, you have an opportunity to support the work of Mission Arlington® through eligible purchases online at Smile.Amazon.com.

Many of you have already been providing support in the weeks leading up to and through Thanksgiving. Some of you have been giving directly to Mission Arlington.

Others of you have been coming individually, bringing your families, and/or your teams to lend a hand.  Turkeys and Thanksgiving food are being unloaded, placed onto trucks, and into freezers. Thanksgiving boxes are being built, lists are being made, and so much more that helps Mission Arlington® get ready for Thanksgiving morning.

Others of you are driving in from all across the DFW Metroplex with car-loads of turkeys and Thanksgiving food.  Students have been working hard on school-sponsored food drives, so that children and families in our community will have Thanksgiving food on this important and special holiday.

Thousands of volunteers will drive downtown to Mission Arlington® on Thanksgiving morning, by 8:00 a.m. to give of their time, making the day special for other families, before they celebrate the holiday themselves.

We are truly blessed, and we are so grateful for you.

If you are thinking about ways to provide support, the Amazon Smile option is a good way to help.  As you are purchasing items in preparation for Christmas through Amazon, simply choose this link to provide support for Mission Arlington/Mission Metroplex®.

SUPPORT MISSION ARLINGTON THROUGH AMAZON SMILE HER…

When you purchase through Amazon Smile on behalf of the mission, Amazon contributes 0.5 percent of your purchase to Mission Arlington®.  When everyone purchases through Amazon Smile in this way, it really adds up.

Thank you for all you do to support Mission Arlington.  We are really excited about Thanksgiving day deliveries, and Christmas is just around the corner.

The City of Arlington film team was here at Mission Arlington yesterday, filming a few moments of activity from a very fulfilling day.  We love the way this community comes together to provide for people’s needs at Thanksgiving.

We hope that you enjoy this article and the video from the City of Arlington Website. Click the link, and it will take you to the article and video:

”Mission Arlington Helping Families on Thank…

Thank you for all you do to help us take care of the people.  If you have time to volunteer, come on down. There is always plenty to do.  On Thanksgiving morning, we are asking volunteers to arrive at 8:00 a.m. here at 210 W. South St. in downtown Arlington. Thanksgiving food is still needed. Click this link to discover what you can bring to help.

We love doing this, and we love walking this journey with you.  It truly is more “blessed to give than to receive.”

Thanksgiving is upon us once again, a little more than 1 week away.  Last year, Mission Arlington® gave away turkeys to 26,000 people, or 5, 943 families.  It took about 5,200 turkeys to help that happen.

Based upon the number of requests we are receiving, and the intensity of the personal need we are experiencing, it looks like we will serve at least that many people again on Thanksgiving day.

It takes about 6,000 volunteers to make that work.  Volunteers are invited to serve here any time before Thanksgiving, of course, but also and especially on Thanksgiving day.  Volunteers should arrive by 8:00 a.m. to start the day.  Here is a link for more information:Thanksgiving Day Information

We are about half way towards our goal of 5,000+ turkeys.  Could you help us spread the word?  Could you help out by bringing a turkey to our main offices downtown?  We still need about 2,500 turkeys to help Thanksgiving day work.

Pictured above are a group of college students with their professor from the West Coast University. They brought 11 turkeys with them this morning.  We are so blessed by this wonderfully, generous community.

Thank you so much.

Mission Arlington® is getting ready for Thanksgiving morning. Last year, 26,000 people (about 5,200) families received Thanksgiving food from here. Thanksgiving delivery begins on Thanksgiving morning, November 27th, about 8:00 a.m., and ends by noon on the same day.

It takes 5,200 turkeys, and 5,200 boxes filled with Thanksgiving food to make that day work for the people.  In the weeks before Thanksgiving, volunteers help Mission Arlington® get ready. Unsorted food has to be separated; Thanksgiving boxes (everything in it for a Thanksgiving meal except for the turkey) need to be built and filled, and everything needs to be put in place in anticipation of Thanksgiving morning.

Today, hundreds of students are here of all ages.  From the student council of Goodman Elementary, to the Middle School from Coble High School in Mansfield, to the Mansfield High School Key Club, to UTA and TCU students, hundreds of young people are here helping us get ready.  What an incredible day!

It is truly fun to watch the assembly lines at work.  Flat boxes are taped into shape.  These empty boxes are passed along a line, filling up with a variety of food items, then they are taped shut.  From there, another assembly line of students shuttles the boxes into a building a block away.  Hundreds of boxes filled with Thanksgiving food, if not more than a thousand, will be built today.  We are well on our way to Thanksgiving.

How is it possible to express our thanks to you, the generous people of this community, who surround this place with loving arms, just so that someone in need will have a good thanksgiving meal? We are humbled and inspired by your faithful generosity.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. May our Lord bless each of you who so faithfully give, pray, and help.  You are making a difference here.

Thanksgiving preparation is well underway at Mission Arlington®.

A faithful and supportive community surrounds Mission Arlington® in these busy days before Thanksgiving. Student groups, civic clubs, schools, churches, and hosts of individuals/families are sending turkeys and Thanksgiving food our way, so that people will have something on their table for Thanksgiving morning. We are humbled and amazed, but not surprised by this surge of generosity.

This community has always taken care of people who are less fortunate.

Groups of people are also coming our way to lend a hand with food preparation in advance of Thanksgiving morning. This past Saturday, several hundred volunteers came to sort donated food, and to build Thanksgiving boxes.

For the past decade, The YMCA Father-Child Program has been coming to help us get ready for Thanksgiving. The “Y” parents with their children come to sort food in preparation for Thanksgiving day.  Is their any better illustration of how this community works together?  It was beautiful to see the children working so hard to help other children. The pictures here illustrate the joy from that day.

As Mission Arlington® gets ready for Thanksgiving morning, we are still in need of a bunch of turkeys.  Click this link to discover ways that you can help.

Thank you so much for all you do to make Thanksgiving a great day for people in need.

Carnival at the “Fall Festival filled with people.

Mission Arlington®’s Fall Festival is so much fun. Created as an alternative, family-friendly event for Halloween, this year’s festival attracted 2,500 children (with their families).

Mission Arlington® and multiple donated buses brought children from across our community to this free event which started at noon this past Saturday, October 25th.  Lunch was the first stop, with hotdogs, chips, and a drink.

The second station included a huge soccer cage, a 1,500 square foot maze (with fog and flashing lights), and 2 tractor-pulled hay rides.

Station 3 contained a plethora of bouncy houses in many shapes and sizes, including a huge slide which the young people truly enjoyed. They bounced to their heart’s content.

Station 4 was a gym-sized collection of carnival booths, including face painting, bowling, fishing, soccer, bean toss, and so much more. Children received prizes at each booth, which they ultimately were able to trade in for bigger prizes.

There were many smiling children everywhere at this event.  Outside, we had the additional blessing of having “Air 1” Radio, a local radio station (101.7 FM) playing Christian music.

After the carnival games, children exited Mission Arlington’s campus with a bag of candy for each child.  Just before they got back on their Mission Arlington buses, or went home with their families, children were able to meet Arlington Fire Fighters, and to tour their fire truck.

All in all, it was a safe, fun day for the children and their families.  Thank you so much for your support, your prayers, and your help.

Matthew 19:14. “Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and stop keeping them away, because the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.’”

For more pictures of the event, view our Facebook site by clicking here.

What’s in a name? There is often a bit of good-natured kidding which goes on about Mission Arlington®’s front room, for the lack of creativity related to its name. Since it was at the front of the mission, years ago, someone called it “the front room,” and the name stuck. The mention of the name sometimes still brings a smile.

More to smile about: There is something beautiful which happens in that room which also brings a smile to people’s faces. 800 people – between 200 and 225 families – every day, six days a week, find their way there to receive help. It is often our first point of contact with a family in need. Because of the faithfulness of a generous community, people like you, every day we have ways to meet people’s needs.

Who are they? Who is it that comes to our front room? In short, ordinary people. It could be any one of us at some point in our life – when an unexpected crisis hits home. Typically, a job loss, a health crisis, or the sudden breakup of a relationship is what brings people into our front room. The hurts are hard, and the tears real, along with the relief that comes with the help.

The vast majority of those who come are working people who simply are in a moment of crisis. If you’ve never had a crisis like this, then you might not understand “Mission Arlington®.” However, if you’ve needed a little help at some point in your life, if only for a moment, then you will begin to get a sense of our heart here. We’re here to help.

Relationship over Rules. We understand that it is important to be good stewards of the gifts that are given to us, and we take that charge seriously. At the same time, we believe one of our highest callings is to treat people with the dignity and respect that they deserve as human beings.

Our approach, therefore, is to be “life-directed” and not “rules oriented.” Often, in the non-profit world, someone isn’t allowed to come back for a certain period of time. Yet, if the breadwinner of the family has just lost their job, that family may need to come in more often for a while to get food until they get on their feet. That’s ok with us, because we’re here to help when people need it the most.

Learning to Listen. Sometimes more important than the emergency relief people receive here is someone who genuinely cares. It is amazing to hear what some people are going through. Their tears and heartaches are real, and often, they don’t have anyone in their lives who will listen anymore. We consider that small task a huge privilege, and it makes a difference in people’ lives.

Offering to Pray: It is important for us, as faith-based people, to do more than listen. For everyone who comes through our place, we ask if they would like for someone to pray with them about their circumstances. Many people in these days don’t have anyone who will pray with them, and most people appreciate the offer. We pray for God’s protection and blessing of each family.

Thankful for you: Day in, and day out, the “front room” stays full of people in need. We can be here to address that need and to love the people, because you make it possible with your gifts, your help, and your prayers. We are grateful to you.

Thank you! All glory to God!

The Texas Health Resources family has a long history of investing in and through Mission Arlington®.  Each year, hundreds of THR employees volunteer in Mission Arlington®’s Thanksgiving and Christmas ministries, and those same employees are constantly dropping off food, clothes, and other items that people need

This past Friday, Texas Health Resources, which includes Texas Health Arlington Memorial Hospital, donated $35,000 to the mission. According to Robert Cadwallader, from the Arlington Citizen Journal, the check presentation was “part of the Greater Fort Worth Builders Association’s launch of its 22nd Kaleidoscope of Homes Tour in the 2,000-acre Viridian master-planned community in north Arlington.”

Mission Arlington® currently see about 800 people a day coming through for help in the front room This donation comes just in time to help the mission get ready for the holiday season.

We are ever grateful for the support of this community.

Read the Citizen journal article here.

Wednesday, October 08, 2014 8:16 AM

Starting last night, October 7th, and continuing through February, from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. every Tuesday and Thursday, Mission Arlington® is hosting a wrestling activity for boys from 2nd grade to youth finishing the tenth grade.

Weight classes start at 40 pounds and go up to heavyweight.

Young people are referred to the program by Mission Arlington’®s Bible study leaders across the community, and the costs are covered by the Mission as well, including the equipment for the wrestler’s in the club.

Robert Kembel, Howard Porteus, and Kenny Monday are the coaches, and they love investing in the hearts, minds, bodies, and souls of these young people learning to wrestle.

Fifteen young people came to learn last night. They worked hard, learned a lot, and everyone had a good time.

Tournaments are scheduled on some Saturdays starting after December. Wrestlers can participate in as many or as few as they wish.

We are so grateful for the opportunities we are given to serve the Lord in this community.