Introduction
Katie Cares is a nonprofit organization established on December 1, 2013. The organization's goal is to provide critical awareness, resources, support, and financial assistance to support the homeless, mentally ill, and elderly left uncared for by society.
Mission
The mission of the organization is to: To improve the quality of post-secondary and life skill planning information and programs that are available to an otherwise limited population.
Our Motto
"Giving others hope and a hand to hold while spreading the word of Jesus Christ."
Statement of Needs
Data through the St. Louis Metropolitan Homeless Action Counsel, the reason for homelessness is a lack of public awareness, a growth shortage of affordable rental housing, an increase in poverty, and declining wages. Children under the age of eighteen account for 39% of the homeless population; 42% were under the age of five. Men comprise about 68% of the homeless population and single mothers and children make up the largest group of people who are homeless in rural areas. Battered women represent 22% of the homeless population in cities, 38% have an alcohol problem, 26% have a problem with other drugs, and mental illness is about 5-7% of the homeless population.
Objectives
The objectives of Katie Cares is to expand programs and services throughout the United States, collaborating with other nonprofit organizations that provide community assistance in major cities whose homeless rate is high due to the lack of awareness and prevention programs. Recruiting individuals in each state to seek out and achieve the mission of the organization.
Bags of Blessings
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Founder Katie Schmierbach came up with the idea of creating care bags for the homeless; Bags of Blessings. These gallon sized bags contain general necessities and a religious work for the homeless, mentally-ill, and elderly who need them in the name of Jesus Christ and cost approximately $15 to make. These bags helped give a little bit of hope and let others know that they not only mattered to a stranger, but they also mattered to God. Katie Cares distributes approximately 40-500 bags in a single trip and please "Contact Us" if you are interested in distributing or making a Bag of Blessing. |
Message from the Founder
My name is Katie Schmierbach, and I have a mission to provide friendship, trust, and support to the homeless that I meet. I am the founder of Katie Cares, a 501c3 non-profit that specifically helps the homeless by giving others hope and a hand to hold while spreading the word of Jesus Christ.
I first felt compelled to help the homeless when I was in the third grade. I had spent my life dreaming about going to Chicago and see the American Girl store. I will never forget how excited I was to finally save enough money to go to Chicago. When we arrived, I was shocked by the amount of homeless on the streets. Instead of spending the weekend sightseeing and shopping, I wanted to help out these invisible people. Ever since that vacation, I have been inspired to be an advocate, and most importantly, a friend for the homeless. After my experience in Chicago, I came up with the idea of creating care bags for the homeless, Bags of Blessings.
When I first started, my ministry did not have a name, and for some time, I did it in secret. I was afraid that people would try to stop me since most people thought that it was not a safe job. Never in all my years of helping the homeless, have I felt threatened or scared for my safety. Eventually, I began to spread the word, and even though I have some concerned friends and family members, my ministry has significantly expanded since that day in Chicago in 2003. I never thought my experience when I was nine would lead into a 501c3 non-for-profit, an office, donation boxes all over the area, and being able to share my passion for helping the homeless. When I was beginning to be serious about my ministry, I could not think of a name for my organization.
This all changed the day I met a very special homeless man. He and his wife once had a very luxurious life with a three-story house and two cars, but this all changed when he became very ill. He had to have open heart surgery and multiple follow-up operations, which lead to major debt. Before they knew it they were being evicted and left without anywhere to go. They had been on the streets for several years when I first met them. One day I was talking with them and seeing them what they needed. I gave him a Bag of Blessing with my mission statement on it, but no name. He was so thrilled to have all of his needs for the day met and he looked at me and said, you know what Katie, you really do care. You don’t view me as a bum, instead, here you treat me like a human and actually care about my well-being. You gave me my first hug I’ve had in months, and your care means a lot to me. He looked down at the Bag and said Katie Cares. That should be the name. The name stuck, and I’ve been using it ever since.
I first felt compelled to help the homeless when I was in the third grade. I had spent my life dreaming about going to Chicago and see the American Girl store. I will never forget how excited I was to finally save enough money to go to Chicago. When we arrived, I was shocked by the amount of homeless on the streets. Instead of spending the weekend sightseeing and shopping, I wanted to help out these invisible people. Ever since that vacation, I have been inspired to be an advocate, and most importantly, a friend for the homeless. After my experience in Chicago, I came up with the idea of creating care bags for the homeless, Bags of Blessings.
When I first started, my ministry did not have a name, and for some time, I did it in secret. I was afraid that people would try to stop me since most people thought that it was not a safe job. Never in all my years of helping the homeless, have I felt threatened or scared for my safety. Eventually, I began to spread the word, and even though I have some concerned friends and family members, my ministry has significantly expanded since that day in Chicago in 2003. I never thought my experience when I was nine would lead into a 501c3 non-for-profit, an office, donation boxes all over the area, and being able to share my passion for helping the homeless. When I was beginning to be serious about my ministry, I could not think of a name for my organization.
This all changed the day I met a very special homeless man. He and his wife once had a very luxurious life with a three-story house and two cars, but this all changed when he became very ill. He had to have open heart surgery and multiple follow-up operations, which lead to major debt. Before they knew it they were being evicted and left without anywhere to go. They had been on the streets for several years when I first met them. One day I was talking with them and seeing them what they needed. I gave him a Bag of Blessing with my mission statement on it, but no name. He was so thrilled to have all of his needs for the day met and he looked at me and said, you know what Katie, you really do care. You don’t view me as a bum, instead, here you treat me like a human and actually care about my well-being. You gave me my first hug I’ve had in months, and your care means a lot to me. He looked down at the Bag and said Katie Cares. That should be the name. The name stuck, and I’ve been using it ever since.
What Does the Bible Say About Homelessness?
Matthew 25:31-45
The Judgment of the Nations“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. Then the king will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’ And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family,[a] you did it to me.’ Then he will say to those at his left hand, ‘You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?’ Then he will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’
Luke 14:7-14
When he noticed how the guests chose the places of honor, he told them a parable. “When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not sit down at the place of honor, in case someone more distinguished than you has been invited by your host; and the host who invited both of you may come and say to you, ‘Give this person your place,’ and then in disgrace you would start to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit down at the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher’; then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at the table with you. For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
He said also to the one who had invited him, “When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, in case they may invite you in return, and you would be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”
The Judgment of the Nations“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. Then the king will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’ And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family,[a] you did it to me.’ Then he will say to those at his left hand, ‘You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?’ Then he will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’
Luke 14:7-14
When he noticed how the guests chose the places of honor, he told them a parable. “When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not sit down at the place of honor, in case someone more distinguished than you has been invited by your host; and the host who invited both of you may come and say to you, ‘Give this person your place,’ and then in disgrace you would start to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit down at the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher’; then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at the table with you. For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
He said also to the one who had invited him, “When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, in case they may invite you in return, and you would be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”
Katie Cares is Featured on The Thread StL at 2:18 and 22:55 |
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