Midwest Distribution Center

Mission Ministry at Chatham, IL.

Plans are now underway for our next trip to Midwest Distribution Center ... if you are interested, please contact Jeanne Schmidt at djschmidt960@comcast.net. The trip is planned for October 30 through November 4th.

October 2010 ... WIMPS III 

Fourteen members of Hudson United Methodist Church traveled to Midwest. Please seek link for a video of our trip.

October 2008 ... WIMPS II

 

Nine members of Hudson United Methodist Church traveled to Midwest Distribution Center in Chatham, IL. The center is a mission project related to the Illinois Great Rivers Annual Conference and the North Central Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Church and opened in 2000.  

The group worked in the Center for four days ... sewing, packing kits, sorting items, boxing goods, repairing bicycles, and working in the warehouse receiving, sorting, packing and shipping disaster response relief items. These materials are then sent to people recovering from floods, fires, tornadoes and hurricanes across the United States. Humanitarian aid, medical, and educational goods are shipped to many states as well as countries such as Liberia and Haiti.   

The group dropped off 229 pounds of relief materials at the warehouse. This included layettes, hospital gowns, fleece mittens and hats and baby blankets sewn throughout the year by members of the congregation. They also brought flood bucket items that were collected prior to their trip.  

Jeanne Schmidt, a member of the group, commented: "What impresses me most about Midwest is they have a use for everything that comes in. Some school bags came in but they were too small. No problem! They used them for goodie bags for the homeless with items like small bottles of shampoo that were also donated and too small to be used in their kits." 

While in the Springfield area, the group also participated in a mission opportunity at St. John's Breadline. They helped serve food, cut up vegetables, helped the guests carry their trays and cleaned up following the meal. On that particular day, they served about 170 men, women and children for the supper meal. The Breadline is funded through United Way and donations from area businesses and people from the area. They average about 500 meals per day serving two meals a day. Mounds of bread were also available for those in need.

 

 

WIMPS II members 

Nick unloads a truck with flood buckets.

 

      

The bikes that need to be repaired prior to shipment are numerous.

The men spent many hours getting the bikes ready ... it also included testing them!

 

  

 

      

Cutting and sewing diapers.

 

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Our visit to St. John's Breadline in Springfield, IL.

 

 

Mounds of bread for distribution.

 

   

Lots of veggies to be cut up for soup. Cakes are donated by local stores for dessert.

 

 

The end to a very rewarding experience ... clean up.

 

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January 2006 ... WIMPS I

In January of 2006, 10 members of the Hudson United Methodist Church traveled to Chatham to work at the Distribution Center near Springfield, IL. During their stay, their duties included sorting, counting, packing health kits, school bags, layette kits, cutting, ironing, sewing school bags, mittens, hats, children’s hospital gowns, folding brochures, making school desks, etc.

Following that visit, members of the congregation have continued this work by making desks and sewing packets that have been prepared with everything you need to complete a layette, gown or shorts. We are pleased that our project continues.

To date, we have made four shipments to Midwest, which totaled 50 baby sweaters, 123 baby wash cloths, 27 baby gowns, 71 diapers, 29 receiving blankets, 41 baby quilts, 39 baby t-shirts, 67 boys shorts and shirts, 136 girls shorts and tops, 72 hats, 10 school bags, 15 fleece baby blankets, 56 pairs of mittens.