Handing out coats and extending the number of hot meals provided at the Open Door Food Kitchen all started after an area business man took a drive through downtown St. Joseph.
“We just noticed that there were a lot of people standing in line waiting to eat at Open Door that didn’t have coats,” said Brad Derr, owner of Derr Equipment Case IH in Savannah. “They weren’t going to the places that had them so we felt the need to just get it right to them.”
So Derr said, he and his two boys, Garrett and Culter started a program to try to get clothing and coats into the hands of the homeless.
“It started out just to clean out my closets and turned into a rather large situation and we’re getting donations from all over the place,” Derr said. “Over 300 coats given away in about five times in the past three weeks. I can tell you 60 percent of the time the faces on the street are new.”
They have been taking in donations at their family business located at 11001 Hwy 71 in Savannah. Derr said he’s been overwhelmed by the number of donations. They started a Facebook Page titled “Help the Homeless of Northwest Missouri.” In a post on Facebook, Derr said as of January 5 they had already raised $1,892.18 in cash over a three week time span. 
“I have purchased $1,774.68 in goods. I have $117.50 in the fund,” he said. “One of my donors gave me their tithing with a warning I had better do right with it since this was the lords money. They had heard what we were doing & felt the need to make this donation. So with the thought of an unusual lightening strike in the winter directly on my head, I have paid all the sales tax out of my pocket. That means that not one cent has been spent or will ever be spent on anything other than goods for the homeless.”
In addition to manning a booth for Derr Equipment at the Ag & Rural Lifestyle Show scheduled for January 27- 28 at the Civic Arena, Derr said they will also be manning a donated booth to collect coats. Clothing donations can be dropped off upstairs, cash donations to help with the effort should be left at the ticket window.
While talking with the homeless in downtown, Derr said he realized the Open Door Food Kitchen doesn’t offer a hot meal on Sundays.
“They were suggesting they needed a hot meal on Sunday, where they get a sack lunch on Sunday,” he said. “We were given permission by Open Door Food Kitchen to start a breakfast brunch on Sundays. Every Sunday of the year.”
He said the will start hot meals February 5th, Superbowl Sunday at 11 a.m.
He said they have a church group manning one Sunday a month every month, and that he plans to man two Sundays a month himself. He said cash donations, volunteers, travel size hygiene products and kits, shoes, socks, and other clothing items are needed.
For more information CLICK HERE for a link to the Help the Homeless of Northwest Missouri Facebook Page.