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About Us

OUR VISION & MISSION

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We endeavor to provide a safe place for people that are unhoused or underprivileged to come and receive food, encouragement and ultimately restoration of dignity through counsel and spiritual guidance.

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Our mission is to feed, encourage and restore those who are unhoused and underprivileged by providing nourishment, basic hygiene access and laundry access in order to provide dignity and a reprieve from the harshness of their everyday reality.

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In our quest to provide these services we also endeavor to provide a safe space for individuals to share needs both physical and mental as well as spiritual.​

Our Story

The James II Project began as a vision in November 2022.  Our founder Karin Kostich has been leading the food giveaway at her church since April of 2020 but has always felt that God was calling her to meet people where they are and provide a meal to those who are unhoused or underprivileged.  As she began to pray about this she asked others to join her in praying and in February of 2023 she felt compelled to reach out to her local Salvation Army and meet with the director to find out how they ministered to those in need.  At that meeting she shared with the Director what she felt God was calling her to do and they toured the building.  Within minutes they were in the kitchen and she learned that they had not used the kitchen for meals in over 3 years.  As they toured the facility the Director shared his vision for what The Salvation Army could do in that site and asked when she wanted to begin serving meals.

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After that meeting Karin enlisted some great supporters of her vision to come alongside and be on the first board and then The James II Project was born.  They sold tshirts with the logo and pizzas to raise money to serve their first meal.  On June 6, 2023, The James II Project served their first meal at The Salvation Army in Arnold, MO.  There were 3 people at that  meal.  Fast forward to May of 2024 and The Salvation Army added a washer and dryer and we were able to allow our guests to do a load of laundry while they were waiting for a meal.  Then we partnered with New Hope Methodist Church right down the street from The Salvation Army to provide showers on the day we we served our meal.  

As we have grown we knew the need of another meal per week to support our friends in need.  Father Michael Lydon the Vicar of the Southern Vicariate and another supporter of James II came alongside early in 2024 and began raising awareness and garnering support for James II in the Catholic parishes in our surrounding area.  As of September 2024 we began serving a second meal each week on Thursdays.  We average 40-60 people at each meal each week and at least 20 of those in attendance are in need of some sort of assistance.

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We are able to direct them to Compass Health, Chestnut Health, St. Vincent De Paul and The Salvation Army representatives that are on site at each of our meals.  Also in September we began assisting our friends in obtaining an ID, Birth Certificate of SS card by utilizing funding from St. Francis Xavier College Church.  These items are very important as our friends are unable to obtain employment, cash a check, open a bank account or even stay at a hotel if they have no ID.

As we look to the future we are eagerly anticipating having all things in one space and also are looking at ways to provide transportation to our friends so they can receive a meal and hope.

Meet The Team

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