2008 Economic Impact Awards Top Honors, Charitable Organization of the Year: Springfield Victory Mission

Even with a new warehouse opening this year, the executive director of Springfield Victory Mission knows what he wants next: a new, from-the-ground-up facility with 220 beds that would open up existing space for new programs. Since its founding 32 years ago, Springfield Victory Mission has worked to, as its motto states, eliminate “poverty from the inside out.”

“Poverty is not a lack of money,” Harriger says. “We all know people who are poor, which is a lack of money, but they don’t live in poverty. Poverty is really a condition of the heart, and in order to eliminate it you can’t … just throw money at it. … We eliminate poverty from the inside – from the heart out.”

The Christian nonprofit began when Everett and Esther Cook, retired Assembly of God ministers from California, served sandwiches and coffee – out of their station wagon, the story goes – to homeless people as they shared the gospel on the Springfield square.

In the early 1980s, buildings on Commercial Street were purchased for a permanent men’s shelter. In 1984, Everett Cook died, and Esther approached the pastor at Park Crest Assembly of God Church about taking over, Harriger says.

The church formed a committee to determine how efforts should continue, and the congregation ultimately voted to give the assets to a board.

Long-term rehabilitation that creates productive, contributing members of society is the goal. Emphasis is placed on developing skills, work ethic and recovery from drugs and alcohol abuse through faith. “We believe that God can have an effect on your life, can change who you are on the inside,” Harriger says.

The Victory Trade School begun in 2003 as a 12-month program that teaches men life skills and provides vocational training in the culinary and hospitality industries. VTS has a college-level agreement with Ozark Technical Community College that translates into 15 credit hours, Harriger says.

Agreements with other accredited institutions are in the works.

Cook’s Kettle Restaurant on West Commercial Street is a hands-on laboratory for VTS students. Victory Square, opened in 2006 in a 25,000-square-foot former nursing home, includes Victory Lodge and Victory Transitions, Harriger says.

Victory Lodge has 60 beds for men who pay a $10 nightly fee for a clean, drug-and-alcohol-free place to stay. Victory Transitions has 50 beds for men who stay from 30 to 90 days in exchange for following sobriety rules, completing daily chores and attending life-skills classes.

Victory House, added in 1992, is for women. The residential shelter is small, however, hitting its maximum with eight women. A new facility for men could open up Victory Square and allow for expansion of women’s programs, Harriger says. It would also supply space for chapel services – now held at Cook’s Kettle – so the restaurant could add dinner hours.

But first things first, and that means opening the new warehouse on West Chase Street, hopefully in August. The formerly empty 31,000-square-foot building replaces one that burned in 2005 and means storage will now be in one place instead of in two smaller spaces. “We’ve had so many projects going,” says Gary Mason, chairman of Springfield Victory Mission’s board. “We can only have so many irons in the fire … (but) you have to be thinking out years ahead.”

Springfield Victory Mission

Address: 1715 Boonville Ave., Springfield, MO 65803

Web: www.victorymission.com

Employees: 54

2007 Budget: $3.2 million

Did you know?

In 2007, Springfield Victory Mission recycled more than 4 million pounds of clothing, household items and appliances, which were then kept out of the landfill.

Information accurate at the time of the honor.[[In-content Ad]]