MorningStar Mission
www.morningstarmission.org

Morningstar Mission is located on Joliet’s near east side. This 100 year old mission offers free meals, a food pantry, an emergency men’s shelter and a long term substance abuse recovery program. Today it also has its own family shelter located next door.

In 2000, Morningstar served 87,444 free meals, all in a dining room that held only 60 people at one time. On Sunday, December 3, 2000, Morningstar was blessed to open their new building with a larger dining room that holds up to 100 guests. In 2007 Morningstar served 135,340 meals.

Rose of Sharon Church has long-supported Morningstar’s activities. Some of our seniors recall serving there back in the 1920’s and into the depression. Others recall collecting food, clothing and holiday gifts at various times.

In December 2000, 3500 wrapped presents including clothing, toys, and games were collected and disbursed to the community. In 2008 over 10,000 of these gifts were collected and disbursed. In 2000, 300 families received food gift baskets during the Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter holidays and the number increased in 2008 to 500 families who received this blessing.

Today, Rose of Sharon volunteers cook and serve dinner there on the second and fifth Saturdays of the month. Meals are cooked in our kitchen in Fellowship Hall, usually starting around noon. About 3:30, the volunteers load their cars and drive to Morningstar and serve the meal.

Rose of Sharon maintains a pantry primarily to support this mission, though this resource is made available whenever needs arise. Loose coins collected on Sunday’s let the pantry purchase fresh items. Nonperishable items are usually donated throughout the year.

Rose of Sharon’s women’s group Hannah’s Circle has organized a church wide Food Pantry drive with a different food item donated each month to stock the pantry.

You can help support the mission objective in many ways:

• Volunteer to cook and/or serve one of these meals
• Donate food or cash equivalent to the Food Pantry anytime
• You can take a cake mix or two and bake
• Save your loose change for the Sunday offering
• Layered lettuce salads are a real hit with those served at the mission
• Homemade cookies that can be put in baggies are a real hit
• Adopt a family at Christmas
• Donate your time and special skills directly to Morningstar
• Pray for the Rose of Sharon volunteers, the Morningstar staff and those they serve

There are all kinds of ways that you can help our Mission Committee… and however you choose to do that is very much appreciated.

For additional information, contact the Beth Cheffer at beth.egarden@yahoo.com or Morningstar Mission at 815.722.5780.