JUNE, 2011

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

1 Life is a Highway

1 Bike-Adoption

2 Save the Date – B.I.D.

2 Simple Ways to Support

2 Volunteer Opportunities

3 Thank You

3 Success Stories

3 Meet the Interns

3 Bed Delivery

4 What’s Going On?

4 Smashburger Promotion

4 From Our Director

OUR MISSION:

To grow a healthy

community by meeting

essential needs, offering

life-skills training and

demonstrating Christ’s

love with authentic care

of the poor in the inner

city of Kalamazoo.

KALDREAM.ORG

Kalamazoo Dream Center hosted its Bike-Adoption, Wednesday, May 21 at the Dream

Center site on Portage Street in

Kalamazoo. Twenty one bikes of

all styles and sizes were grate-

fully donated to the Dream Center

to help people need. The annual

Bike-Adoption is targeted towards

needy families in the Kalamazoo

Community seeking means of

transportation. continued on page 2

Life is a highway by Brittany Click

During my first week at the Dream Center I met

John Skoff. He is one of the many clients in

Kalamazoo who has appreciated the work of

The Kalamazoo Dream Center for years. Skof,

a 91 year old war Veteran and Kalamazoo native,

shared the story of his experiences ranging from

surviving multiple cancers, heart malfunctions,

WWII, long lost love and his daily struggle

with poverty.

Skof shared his passion for the Kalamazoo Dream Center and his gratitude

for the volunteers who show him respect and kindness. Skof said,

“The Dream Center is a haven for people who are in need of assistance

with everyday living necessities.” Skof mentioned his appreciation

for executive director Rik Stone and his compassion for helping

the Kalamazoo community happily survive.

Skof smiled and reminded us all to look at life as if we were driving over

a speed bump. Skof said, “Life gets tough; there are bumps in the road,

but you learn to get over it.” Skof added, “It’s dealing with problems like they’re

not the end of the world and knowing that everything will be okay through faith.”

Speed bumps and people like Skof are our inspiration at the Dream

Center to help people hurdle life’s speed bumps.

SPEEDBUMPAHEAD

John Skof

DREAM CENTER HOSTS BIKE ADOPTION by Brittany Click

Donated bikes are appreciated by folks who need them for transportation to and from work.

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SAVE THE DATE! by Cara Mosley

S IMPLE WAYS TO SUPPORT

B.I.D. Building Inspiration and Dreams

Please plan to join us for a night of fun

and funding for the Dream Center on

September 16th.

Expect more than fast-talking, haggling,

and bargains at this next fundraiser. The

Dream Center’s been busy brain-storming

a fun-filled Friday night for everyone.

Enjoy a meal, entertain your kids

with carnival games, indulge in

Chocolamania, and experience

the excitment of both a live

and silent auction!

You can be a blessing to this event by

sharing quality goods and services from

either yourself or your business for the

auction tables. We also need volunteers –

for set up and take down, meal preparation,

activities, and more! For more information

please call 382.4760 or e-mail us at

kalamazoodreamcenter@gmail. com.

Watch for more details.

Bike-Adoption continued

“The Bike-Adoption event is a blessing; It’s knowing that we were

remembered, and they didn’t forget about us,” said Edna Vasquez,

supporting her 15 yr old son and self.

Vasquez added that she and her son would be thankfully utilizing the

bikes for transportation to the grocery store and to school.

Donations of bicycles for this event come from individuals and from the

Kalamazoo County Sheriff Department’s recent abandoned bicycles.

What excitement there was when a child who had recently had her bike

stolen found her own bike at the Bike-Adoption! “Nothing like this had

ever happened before”, said Executive Director, Rik Stone.

“There was so

much emotion

and excitement

from this one

particular

child; it made

this event well

worth the while,”

said Stone.

Seeing the smile

on her face was

priceless as she

was reunited with her bicycle which she recognized even though it

had been repainted. This fragment of the Bike-Adoption magnified our

mission here at the Dream Center and opened our eyes to how

beautiful it is when God’s grace is present.

The Dream Center was pleased with the turnout and high energy

of the Bike-Adoption this year and has even higher hopes for

other years to come.

Child and bike happily reunited

during our Bike-Adoption

YOU CAN HELP!

Meijer RewardsSign up at www.meijer.com/rewards

Our new number is 131257.

Zoo Cycle and SportsWhen making a purchase, ask for 3% of your

purchase to be donated to the Kalamazoo Dream

Center through the Giving Program there.

Tax Deductible DonationsAll financial donations to the Dream Center

are tax-deductible.

Reception: This position involves greeting guests, signing them in on the

computer and directing them to the clothing closet and/or food pantry.

A pleasant persoinality, basic computer skills, and a love for God and his

people are the only requirements for this position.

Clothing Worker: Sorting and carrying clothes and assisting guests

as they “shop” are the main tasks included in this position.

Additional Volunteer Opportunities: fundraising, volunteer recruitment,

job-seeking class coordinator, mentors, instructors for job-seeking class,

pregnancy counselor, data entry assistant, and computer repair.

Please call us at 382.4760 for more information.

Looking forward to meeting you!

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

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GIVING HOPE AND OPPORTUNITY TO KALAMAZOO MICHIGAN

THANK YOU

SUCCESS STORIES

Hi, my name is Cara and I am a senior at Western

studying Public Relations with minors in Marketing

and Psychology. I enjoy supporting the Dream Center’s

cause. During the school year I am involved in Inter-

national Programs Council and Pi Beta Phi.

I’m Brittany, and I’m a junior at WMU studying Public

Relations with minors in Psychology and Marketing.

I am a Southwest Michigan native, with roots in

South Haven, MI. Kalamazoo has always felt close

to home, so I genuinely care for and respect the

community. I look forward to building lifetime bonds

with the people at the Kalamazoo Dream Center

Hi, my name is Liz and I am a senior at Western

Michigan University studying Public Relations and

Business. My goals for the Kalamazoo Dream Center

are to promote the organization and increase aware-

ness of all the great things the many volunteers

do for the Kalamazoo community.

MEET THE DREAM TEAM (our summer interns)

Comforting Kalamazoo with “Good Night” project by Liz Bitters More than 300 beds were distributed over a three-week period beginning in

mid-January. The Dream Center partnered with Christ Followers for Change and various

other non-profit organizations to make a difference in the inner city of Kalamazoo.

Various fundraising campaigns held by the CFC churches were underway for

6 months prior to the donation of the beds.

Many families were squeezing themselves into one bed or even worse, sleeping

on the floor. The Dream Center made a difference in the lives of these families

by collaborating with local churches and agencies to meet one of the biggest

needs in the community.

Your donations enabled us to:

Serve 935 individualsand provide $31,656 total goods and servicesin April, 2011 alone.

Thank you for your help in raising

funds through the past two events.

Disciples Cafe Fundraiser Report:

The Dream Center interacted with

the community, making new friends,

resulting in $900 in donations.

Mongolian Grill Report:

The Dream Center was able to

raise $750 through a silent auction,

tips to our guest grillers, and a

percentage of each meal purchased.

A special thanks to

our guest grillers –

Tonya Schultmaker,

Marageret O’Brien,

Mary Balkema and TJ Duckett.

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Smashburger partners with KDC June 19-25Who: All Kalamazoo Dream Center staff,

volunteers, families and friends. Just

present this flyer or mention “Kalamazoo

DreamCenter” at the time of purchase.

What: Smashburger will donate 20% of

the total purchase by someone from

your group to Kalamazoo Dream Center.

(Cannot be combined with other coupons or discounts)

Where: Smashburger, 4315 West Main St. – just East of Drake Rd.

When: The week of June 19-25, 2011. Open from 10 am to 10 pm daily.

Häagen-Dazs Shakes / Smashsides / Smashchicken

Smashsalads / Smashdogs / Smashburgers

www.smashburger.com

Volunteer Donate

Financial Contribution Other

______________________________________________

Name

______________________________________________

Address

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

Phone

______________________________________________

Email

All donations are tax deductible

GET INVOLVED

< Please cut and mail to:

Kalamazoo Dream Center

1122 Portage Road Kalamazoo, MI

269.382.4760 www.kaldream.org

kalamazoodreamcenter@gmail.com

Become a friend on

Adopt-a-BlockJune 11 – from 10 am to 12 pm

Smashburger PromotionJune 19-25

Next Level OutreachesJune 23 and 27

Adopt-a-BlockJuly 9 and 23 / August 6 and 20

September 3

B.I.D.Building Inspiration and Dreams

September 16

WHAT’S GOING ON?

FROM THE DESK OF OUR DIRECTOR

Why we serve. Each day we open the doors of the Dream Center we

are amazed at the number of new people who come to receive the services

which we provide. Those who come embody some of the most needy individ-

uals and families in our community. Each day we see 30-40 households who

are looking for practical resources for their daily needs. Many would ask then,

why you serve to the depth and capacity you do if you will never touch all

those you intend to reach through the Dream Center; after all didn’t

Jesus say that the poor will always be amongst us?

Although Jesus’ statement seems to be daunting for those who serve the

poor, there are two great reasons we choose to press on with the calling we

have been given. The chief reason that urges us on is that we have been

given a deep passion and an unquestionable privilege to share Christ along

with every loaf of bread and every garment that reaches the hands of those

reaching out to us. The second reason lies in 2 Corinthians 5:14 where Paul

states: “For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one

died for all, and therefore all died.” Yes, we are compelled by a deeper moti-

vation that is fueled by the love of Christ. The King James Version describes

this motivation with the word “constrained” which implies “to force.” It is

our relationship with the loving Christ that forces us to act on behalf of those

suffering, just as the Good Samaritan acted in giving aid to the one who

had fallen on difficult circumstances. As the love of Christ constrains us,

we will then serve from the depths of our heart with extreme love

as though directly from His heart.

Rik Stone

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