When the new Village Library was established in 2010, the Republic of South Sudan was not a country, Benedict XVI was the Pope, and "ridesharing" wasn't in the dictionary. 

While many basic facts of geography, language, and history have changed in those years, our books had not! It was time to refresh and reorganize the books available to our students at the Village Library, and we are grateful to a group from the United Methodist Women of First United Methodist Church of Hurst for offering to share their talents with us.

The group, which included a retired librarian and retired educators, reviewed each book in the library to make sure they were relevant to today's students. They then reorganized all of the books by grade level and subject to make it easy for our students to find appropriate books. They are currently finalizing their creative labeling system which will make it easy for students to find books that are right for their level without making them feel awkward if that is below their actual grade level. 

After culling out the older books, we now how plenty of space on our shelves! The UMW group will recommend updated, new books to be purchased that match the specific needs they have identified in the library. If you would like to help make sure they are able to purchase the materials they need, you can make a donation to Mission Central and specify that it go toward the Village Library. Once this project is complete, our students will be able to check out these books and take them home to read with their siblings and parents.

When we moved into our new facility at 740 East Pipeline Road, purchasing a new freezer and cooler were near the top of our wish list. 

Why? Because freezers and coolers allow us to store more healthy options for our guests to the Village Pantry. Fresh fruits, vegetables, dairy, and meat are all items that require cold storage. Additionally, these items are also usually available to us at much lower costs than traditional shelf-stable foods.

Our wish came true this past month when a a well-known and respected business in the food service industry donated a new freezer and cooler to Mission Central. The donor has chosen to remain anonymous, but their generous donation will be treasured by many. Thanks to this donor, the almost 500 families who visit the Village Pantry each month will have many more healthy choices available.

Diane Postell joined Mission Central in early March as our new Director of Family Services. As a full-time employee, she is here throughout all the Village Pantry's regular hours, helping ensure that volunteers can point our guests to the resources they need and that prospective participants in the Family Opportunities Program are being identified. 

Through the Family Opportunities Program, Diane works with families who are homeless or facing eviction to help them create a plan for moving toward housing and job stability. Last year, 39 families participated in the program, and new families are currently being added to the program.

One of Diane's first assignments is to review the processes and programs that relate to Family Services and make recommendations to the Strategic Planning Committee regarding ways we can empower our neighbors in need to improve their own quality of life. Be sure to watch upcoming issues of News Central for information on the progress of our strategic planning process, and ways that you can be a part of Mission Central's vision for the future.