Stories Week: What We See.. What We Need
Hello again KCB Blog readers..
This week we wanted to shift gears a bit and allow a moment to take stock on what’s going on around us. Believe it or not, we’re less than 2 months away from 2026, and even though we’re starting to see some of that Holiday cheer start to show up around us.. the work we’re doing seems to be getting heavier and heavier by the week.
Winter is starting to creep in and with all the fallout from the recent government shutdown still hitting people hard.. it’s more than just the air that feels cold. There’s a certain.. worry? (Not sure if that’s the right word.. but maybe you understand what I’m saying) that seems to be on every face that walks into our Community Center. I even hear it on the phones.. especially with the KCB Community Center being busier than ever. As you probably know by now, public benefits (ones that many, if not all, of our neighbors and participants depend on) have been delayed or cut.. jobs and livelihoods are on shaky ground.. prices are climbing on everything from gas to groceries.. and we’re all feeling it.
More and more neighbors walking through our doors everyday looking worried, hungry, cold.. you name it. And not just our homeless neighbors either.. Up and down these Bellflower streets, rents are coming due with less and less ways to pay, cars in driveways and fridges in kitchens all over our community running on empty.. nights beginning to come with that all-too-familiar bite in the air. Life is feeling tough out there right now.. one curveball after another.. and for a lot of people, its piling up and starting to feel impossible to catch a break.
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However…
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That’s where we come in.. that’s where KCB has always come in. That’s where you can come in.. We strive to be that place where anyone can walk in, grab a coffee, sit down, share what’s going on, and know they are not alone. We listen, we pray, we connect people to resources and programs.. whether it’s with us or elsewhere. But the common denominator is people. And community matters so much because without it.. without all of us pulling together.. people have it way harder. And as far as struggles.. we all have them. So why do we try to fight them alone? Those struggles do not have to be faced solo. When we show up for each other, that is the body of Christ in action.. that is loving your neighbor for real. And you know by now that that is our heartbeat.. our mission. Prioritizing people over everything else and building relationships that last. Live. Work. Belong. All that.
We want to help as many as we can and stretch every donation.. That’s why our Love Thy Neighbor Fund is such a good thing for our neighbors.. it’s donor-supported and with it being unrestricted, it lets us jump in fast for those unique needs that no program quite covers fully. A little goes a long way there.. things like helping with a utility bill, a tank of gas, a night stay in a hotel to get them to a housing program.. or whatever gap needs filling in that moment. With your help, we can continue to keep the doors open and this type of help coming consistently.
So here is what we are needing as winter ramps up.. gloves, beanies, blankets, gift cards for groceries so families hit by benefit delays can grab what they need.. food donations we can hand out to hungry neighbors, coats if you have them.. and we are always taking hygiene kits (soap, shampoo, deodorant, toothbrushes, toothpaste..etc the basics that make a big difference). We are open to calls if you want to chat about dropping stuff off.. we cant accept everything, but we would love to talk it through if you’d like to help.
Give the Community Center a call at 562-804-2189 and we can figure it out together. If you can’t drop anything off but still want to help.. hop over to our giving page (or click here to be redirected there) and donate to the Love Thy Neighbor Fund.. mark it "LTNF" so it hits exactly where it’s needed most. Every blanket warms a night.. every gift card feeds a family.. every dollar says you are not forgotten.
Let us be that community.. the one that steps up when its hard, that reminds our neighbors God has got them through us and the work we’re called to. Pray for the people coming in heavy-hearted.. for wisdom to make it all count.. for hearts to stay generous.
Let us keep showing up..
Thanks for reading.. Until next time..