School Store Serves Community

The Memphis Urban Ministry School Stores were a huge success this year. Both School Store locations (Downtown Church of Christ and Raleigh Community Church of Christ) served a combined total of 968 kids during the hours of operation.

Thirty minutes before the School Store at the Downtown church was scheduled to open, all the seats inside were full and many individuals were standing outside waiting to come in. Downtown Church of Christ minister, William Smith, noted the difference from last year when things were steady all day but never full.

Besides serving the community with free school supplies, the School Store provides an opportunity for us to minister to the hurting in our community. Kenny Allen, a minister at Raleigh Community Church of Christ, was able to pray with several who came through to receive supplies. One of those he prayed with was a Grandmother who was there to receive school supplies for her grandchildren. This woman has three boys and a daughter. Two of her sons had recently been captured by law enforcement and her other son was on the run.

Every child who attended the School Store at Raleigh was also able to receive a free dental screening and a free toothbrush thanks to a partnership with the Firestone Dental Group.

We owe a big “thank you” to Mark Green and Highland Church of Christ. Mark is a deacon at Highland Church of Christ and each year coordinates the purchasing of the school supplies. He also donated all of Highland’s remaining school supplies to MUM to use in the Downtown community where several individuals had to be turned away when supplies ran out at that location.