The Tioga County Open Door Mission exists to meet the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of Tioga County residents through the services of a Thrift Store, a Men's Residence and the emergency assistance programs of the Outreach Department. The list of services to neighbors overwhelmed by immediate needs is almost as long as the list of human needs. In fact, wherever there is an urgent, real human need which no other agency can meet on a timely basis, the Mission seeks to serve.

How well is the Mission doing? Growth alone indicates that the Mission is serving the community well. Outreach emergency assistance more than doubled from 1991 to 1997, and further increased 72% during 1998 alone - truly a humbling challenge to the Mission staff and Mission facilities. Thrift Store sales increased 40% from 1992 to 1998, with even more dramatic growth during late 1998 and early 1999.

It might well be said that the Mission is in critical condition from growing pains, and must either expand their building or reduce services to the community. The Mission needs more space for the Outreach department in order to better respect the privacy and confidentiality of persons served, and to expand services beyond meeting purely physical needs. The present Food Pantry and Outreach storage areas are inadequate to meet the rapidly growing needs placed upon them. For instance, the number of meals served during grew by 45% during 1998, while overall 1998 outreach services grew 72%.

The Mission also critically needs increased warehouse space for the Thrift Store in order to better care for the community's gifts. This mandates the incorporation of a dry, weather-proof drop area for community gifts, as well as a warehouse area where gifts can be prepared, stored and protected before being moved to the Store floor or Outreach Department.

After many months of study, the Future Planning Committee of the Mission concluded that the Mission must add a 6000 square foot building to house a 2500 square foot store warehouse area, a 2500 square foot outreach pantry/warehouse, and a 1000 square foot office area. Existing facilities will be converted to provide a protected drop area and to expand store floor space.

In order to add this building, the Mission must raise $150,000. This is a daunting challenge which must be met if the Mission is to continue to be an open door to blessings from God. It is also a challenge which cannot be met without generous gifts from the community. The Mission now asks every community member to be counted among the people by whom God will work this small miracle.

Please give generously, so the Mission can continue to be the compassionate and loving hands of God serving our community. Determine how much you can and must give to maintain and increase Mission services, and send your most generous gifts to the Open Door Mission, PO Box 332, Owego, NY 13827. Please designate these gifts "building fund."

The staff and board of the Open Door Mission firmly believe that, together, we must continue to meet the growing needs of the truly needy among us, and, convinced that the community will come to a similar conclusion, the Mission looks forward to a very generous community response.