The numbers are in and 2024 was our busiest year yet! For each of the past three years, we have seen our client base increase by around 30%, but in 2024, our clients grew by 60%! Thanks to God’s blessings and all the support we received from donors, volunteers, community partners, and churches, we were able to meet this increased demand, but it wasn’t easy. That’s why we need YOUR involvement.
We could not manage this rate of growth without our visionary leaders, dedicated volunteers, generous donors, and community partners/churches who work alongside us as we serve Southwest Louisville.
A quick recap of 2024 program highlights:
Food Pantry
- We began the year serving 1,086 people in January and ended the year serving 2,476 people in December. Monthly average – 1,686 people.
- We distributed more than 480,000 pounds of food during the year.
- Several businesses, organizations, schools, churches, and other groups held food drives to support our pantry.
- We also had a group of volunteers who coordinated a booth at the White Elephant Vendors Market on our behalf. The proceeds from that booth helped pay for food needed to supplement the donations we received from Dare to Care, Kentucky Harvest, and the USDA.
- Total number of unique pantry clients during 2024: 1,520 families (4,953 individuals).
- We purchased and installed a new cooler and freezer (through funding from Dare to Care and Shirley’s Way) so that we could keep the USDA Commodity Box items separate from other food items.
- We delivered an average of 155 food boxes per month to individuals with disabilities or lack of transportation. (We started the year making 105 deliveries in January and grew it to 338 deliveries in December.)
- We added another USDA food box program to our offerings starting on March 3. People qualify for this program based on household income. This program joins the USDA Senior Commodity Box program that we launched in 2023. Currently 84% of our clients qualify for these programs.
Clothing Closet
- We clothed an average of 92 clients of all ages each month through our Clothes Closet.
- We regularly provided clothing to 15+ area organizations including local schools, outreach programs for the unhoused, single mother programs, and recovery programs.
- We assisted Giving Loving Heartfelt in the collection and distribution of prom dresses at no cost. Nearly 600 girls were able to get the dress of their dreams, makeup, shoes, and accessories as part of this program.
- We helped sort and distribute almost 500 winter coats in partnership with Shirley’s Way.
- A very low estimate of the value of clothing donated to the ministry was $80,000.
- The Clothes Closet served as the intake team for all physical items donated to the ministry.
Resource Center
- The Exodus Community Resource Center at 4205 Cane Run Road celebrated its first full year of operations with a special media event on October 10.
- Our day shelter is the only full-service day program in Southwest Louisville, as well as outside I-264.
- We provided homeless outreach services in camps to meet basic needs, build relationships, and eliminate barriers.
- Through the resource center and outreach program combined, we far exceeded our expectations of the number of people we would serve. We estimated 150-200, but ended up serving 477 unique unsheltered clients during 2024.
- The resource center is open three days a week from 10:30am – 2:30pm (Mondays for both genders, Wednesdays for women, and Fridays for men) and on Tuesdays from 8:30am-12:30pm.
- We provide laundry, food, and shower services to the unhoused.
- Various resource partners come each week to provide additional services to the unsheltered and connect them to programs that help eliminate barriers to housing and stability.
- In 2024, we helped clients from 21 zip codes in the Louisville area.
- We served as an emergency white flag day shelter for Louisville Metro.
- In addition to case management, we help clients secure housing (26 moved into their own place), enter recovery (47 started addiction recovery programs), get health care, food stamps, forms of identification, phones, and more.
Faith Services
- While all of our services are available with no requirements of belonging to a certain church or practicing a certain religion, we are happy to offer faith services such as fellowship meetings and Bible studies for people who are interested in learning more about God’s Word.
- In 2024, we held Monday night Bible studies, Wednesday night prayer meetings, Saturday morning Digging Deeper classes, which teach how to share the Gospel with others, and Sunday morning services.
- We also organized the first Southend Unity Festival, which brought together many of the churches in the Southwest Louisville.
- Our faith services attracted more than 700 people during the year and resulted in many baptisms.
Volunteers
- We could not do the work we do without our volunteers! Last year, we had 91 regular volunteers who assisted us on a weekly or monthly basis, plus hundreds of additional folks who came out with their families, businesses, service organizations, churches, or schools to help us once or twice.
- Volunteer opportunities exist in all program areas. Trainings are held monthly for anyone wanting to get involved.
- While we love kids, we ask that parents participate with their children if they are under 16. We can provide proof of service hours for people needing them for National Honor Society, Beta Club, or other school programs.
- Our volunteers racked up nearly 26,000 service hours! Wow!