Mission is Our Mission: 2026-2027 Grant Recipients Announced

A preschool for English language learners at Center of Grace in Olathe, Kansas, this year’s Signature Mission partner.

Village Church began with a remarkable vision: that a congregation‘s success could be measured by what it gives away. From the very beginning, members reached beyond our own community to support mission efforts and help grow new congregations within the denomination. Village Church’s early acts of mission established a legacy of service that remains central to our calling. Each year since 2011, the Mission Committee has selected one local organization for a special grant to fund a particular project or outreach (our “Signature Mission”)—in addition to providing funds for almost 40 other nonprofits in three areas of interest: food insecurity, housing, and adult education. We’re proud to spotlight this year’s mission partners.

2026-2027 Signature Mission Partner: Center of Grace

We are proud to select Center of Grace as Village Church’s 2026-2027 Signature Mission partner. Founded in 1999, Center of Grace offers an impressive list of resources for those in need: a clothing closet and food pantry, community dinners, computer training, an English Language Learning preschool, a medical equipment program, hygiene products, a community garden, English classes through Johnson County Community College, a partnership with the Boys & Girls Club, as well as coordinating with a host of other organizations to provide additional support. As a result of their bevy of programs, they served more than 30,000 people this past year and anticipate further growth in the upcoming year.

The Mission Committee was impressed by what is accomplished at Center of Grace. The organization offers dignity and respect to the wide variety of individuals they serve, the majority of which are from immigrant and minority communities. All those involved, from staff to volunteers to participants, truly receive a love reflective of Christ’s love.

Our Signature Mission recieves our largest single grant ($80,000), made possible through the Endowment Trust. Village’s Computer Ministry, which operates out of the Tillotson Building at the Meneilly Center for Mission, also donated eight refurbished desktop computers and two laptops to COG.

Look for Village volunteer opportunities at Center of Grace (located at 520 S. Harrison, Olathe, Kansas) coming up soon—including one on Sept. 26! The whole family is invited to join us from 10 a.m.-noon Saturday, Sept. 26 at Center of Grace to assist in outdoor yard work, a deep clean of our community kitchen, conference room set up, and a tour of our campus. Let’s get to know our neighbors at Center of Grace and show them how our Village family cares!

Hunger Highlight: Neighbor2Neighbor

Neighbor2Neighbor (N2N) serves its northeast Kansas City neighbors weekday breakfasts and lunches, and provides clothing and hygiene supplies along with a big dose of hope, hospitality, and compassion. Their guests often struggle with substance abuse and mental health issues. Drug treatment specialists personally engage with each neighbor who is looking for a way out and follow up with them throughout recovery.

Housed in St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church, N2N celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. Executive director Greg Parr was a former recipient of N2N’s services. Greg is in recovery and is now a counselor and Methodist minister.

In 2025, N2N provided 27,867 meals, 1,536 hygiene items, and 2,313 changes of clothes, and referred 141 people for treatment or housing. Grant funds from Village Church help pay for the 70-110 breakfasts and lunches served each day. If you are looking to help N2N through in-kind donations, they always need donations of paper products, milk, and fruit.

Housing Highlight: reStart, Inc.

reStart, Inc. has two facilities: the Central Lodge on East 9th Street (pictured above) and the Family Lodge on Main Street, both in Kansas City, Missouri. The Family Lodge is a former hotel converted to a 45-unit shelter for families.

reStart addresses the challenges of safe housing while empowering participants to achieve greater stability and health. They have wraparound services at these two temporary shelters to address mental and physical health, substance abuse, and domestic violence—at the same time providing financial and literacy referrals, workforce development, and food.

Through your contributions, we were able to fund approximately half the cost of new linens for both of their housing lodges.

Education Highlight: The Sewing Labs

The Sewing Labs was founded in 2016 in Kansas City’s Columbus Park neighborhood. An important goal of the Sewing Labs is to equip individuals with limited income, housing insecurity, and/or unemployment with the in-demand skill of industrial sewing-machine operation.

The Sewing Salon Training Program lasts 30 weeks, followed by an apprenticeship program with a local business. During this period, there is follow-up between The Sewing Labs and the business to help achieve a successful outcome. In 2026, 75 students are expected to complete the training program.

The Sewing Labs also offers community classes and worship to the public. In 2025, they provided more than 18,000 hours of classroom instruction and made donations to more than 1,800 community projects.

All 2026-2027 Grant Recipients

The organizations highlighted above are just a few of our community partners this year. The full list can be found below, along with the total grant amount for each category. Grant amounts vary, but average around $3,000 per organization.

Food Insecurity: $46,740

Housing: $45,510

Education: $30,750

Learn more about Community Grants at Village.

Decade after decade, the spirit of generosity and service present at our founding, and evident still, has connected us to neighbors near and far, reminding us that the church is at its best when it participates in God’s work beyond its doors.