Carthage Crisis Center gives away furniture, food

Dana Bettes thought she was done raising babies, her own children were teenagers and older and she was looking forward to eventual grandparenthood.

Like they do with many families, circumstances changed and now she finds herself preparing to raise a five-month-old baby. She has to get ready despite the fact that she lost her job in the real estate business several weeks ago.

That’s why she was at Saturday’s used furniture giveaway at the Carthage Crisis Center.

“This is going to be a huge help, I really wasn’t in a position to do what I needed to do,” Bettes said. “It kind of caught me off guard but you kind of buck up and do it. When you can get help, though, it’s greatly appreciated.”

Crisis Center Co-Director Marilyn Bisbee said 125 family groups, including Bettes, came through the Center’s parking lot behind its new building at Central Avenue and Main Street.

“Most of the furniture and appliances were gone by the end of the day,” Bisbee said. “It just about wiped out our used furniture supply and cleaned out some needed space in our basement. It’s wonderful to have it all go away.”

In addition to furniture and some appliances, the Crisis Center gave away bags of groceries and supplies of baby food and formula.

“We had baby clothes and baby items to help people take care of family needs,” Marilyn Bisbee said.

More than 100 people waited in line on the Central Avenue side of the new Crisis Center at some points on Saturday morning.

Marilyn Bisbee said the crowd started gathering at about 5:30 a.m.

Contributors brought some furniture starting at 6 a.m. Doors were open to those waiting in line for the giveaway at 9 a.m.

Jesse Hoog and his family were among the families waiting in line in cool temperatures for about 45 minutes to get their chance to pick from the items in the giveaway.

He said standing in the shadow of the building was a bit chilling, but the warmth of the people who set up this event helped chase the chill away.

“My mom needs a bed and some box springs and she can’t pay for them on a fixed income,” Hoog, from Golden City, said. “It’s so great of them to be so helpful. The help they give with food is big too.”

Hoog said just seeing a smiling face is a lift when a person is down on their luck.

“You get the feeling here that someone actually cares,” Hoog said. “Sometimes when you are down you don’t get the impression that a lot of people care. It helps just for them to be friendly and to see a smiling face.”

Gloria Sanders, Carthage, said she was here to try to find some new chairs so her friends can sit down when they visit.

“I live on a fixed income of less than $700 a month so I wouldn’t be able to afford any of this,” Sanders said. “I’m very appreciative of the Crisis Center. They help in so many ways.”

Marilyn Bisbee said more than 30 volunteers, including most of the people living at the Crisis Center and members of the Center’s board of directors, helped the people coming through find what they needed, then helped them load it on to whatever vehicle the person brought in.

She said her daughter, Christa Kimzey, did much of the work organizing the event.

Crisis Center Co-Director Brian Bisbee said the event is as much a blessing for the volunteers and center workers as it is for the people taking items home.

“It just cracks me up sometimes to see the smile on people’s faces when they get what they really needed,” Brian Bisbee said. “This is really a lot of fun.”