The Open Door Mission

In November of 2009, Harlan’s First Baptist Church Youth Group went to the Open Door Mission in Omaha, NE. The Open Door mission is located on 2828 North 23rd Street East and helps families and singles in need of financial or housing assistance. The Open Door Mission has a Lydia House, which is for families consisting of at least one parent and at least one parent. It also includes a housing development for single men, which can fit up to 180 men sleeping on mats each night. A housing development for single women is also included.


Plaque on the new Lydia House that is currently under construction.

Every night, the Open Door Mission assists over 320 men, women, and children who are in need safe, sheltered beds. They prepare 1,500 hot, nutritious meals daily to those who need it. The Open Door Mission also provides financial support and other means of security to more than 250 families living in poverty.

The Open Door Mission is always welcoming and in need of volunteers. On November 7, 2009, the FBC Youth Group and other youth groups in the Omaha area helped the Open Door Mission with many tasks helping them prepare for Thanksgiving and Veterans Day. The girls helped make Hand Turkey Placemats for the guests to enjoy during their holiday meal. At the same time, the boys washed laundry and helped sort and hang up clothes. Everyone pitched in together afterwards to sort through blankets, tablecloths, sheets, clothes, knick-knacks, stuffed animals, toys, and baby toys to decide which ones were proper to keep on the shelves for needy people to purchase. Other youth groups helped pack turkey and fixings boxes for needy families to serve at Thanksgiving.



Food collection at Hy- Vee

The Open Door Mission provides more opportunities to volunteer during the holiday season. The Shepherd’s Lights Event takes place on November 27 through December 31 and gives you the opportunity to view the “Parable of the Lost Sheep” from the comfort of your own car. The $5 entry fee will be donated to the Open Door Mission. Another opportunity available is to donate your processed deer meat to Van Fleet Meats and the purchase of it will go to the Open Door Mission. If you have any used Cell Phones, PDAs, Palm Pilots, digital cameras, or iPods, donate them to Recycling for Charities to help out the Open Door Mission. A good opportunity for coffee lovers is to buy Mission Bean Coffee at Hy-Vee food stores in Omaha and the money will go to Open Door Mission. On the Third Saturday of each month through December, there will be an Open Door Mission truck located two blocks south of Industrial Road on 149th Street. Bring your used clothing, furniture and other household goods and put it in the truck to donate to the Open Door Mission.

For more information on the Open Door Mission and for how you can get involved, visit http://www.opendoormission.org/. Or visit their Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/OpenDoorMission?v=wall#/OpenDoorMission.