More Than Bare Necessities
It is often true that what happens behind the scenes makes a big impact, and the commissary at Boothe Campus is a prime example. The commissary is not a store, however it does provide much of what the children living there need on a daily basis. It is stocked through a combination of donations from churches and organizations around the state and the STCH Ministries operating budget.
The primary function of the commissary at Homes for Children is to provide the eleven cottages on Boothe Campus with all that they require to run as smoothly as possible. Food, cleaning products, and even clothing for the children can be found on the rows of tall wooden shelves. Each Monday, housemoms fill out their shopping lists and Commissary Supervisor Patty Kinnamon (pictured here on the right) and her assistant Becky Martinez (pictured on the left) work together to prepare the orders.
Patty’s earliest memories of Boothe Campus come from childhood visits with her uncle and aunt, Floyd and Peggy Patterson, who served at Boothe Campus for decades. God then lead Patty and her husband, Marvin, to become houseparents in 1994, and Patty has now supervised the commissary since 2010. She says that having served as a cottage mom is extremely beneficial when working out routines and making decisions for the commissary.
After 24 years on staff, talking about STCH Ministries still brings a twinkle to Patty’s eye. She says her favorite part of her job is “when a little girl puts on a dress and twirls like a princess with a huge smile on her face.” (Many times when children arrive at Boothe Campus they bring very little with them. Each new child visits the commissary to be outfitted with all the new clothes that they need.)
Children drop in throughout the day to share some news or get a hug. The grins displayed by staff and students coming and going show that it is more than “the place to get stuff” on Boothe Campus; it is proof that love comes in a practical form.
When your church or Sunday School class participates in “Cans for Kids”, you help to stock the commissary at STCH Ministries Boothe Campus. Resources are available for download at www.STCHM.org/Cans-for-Kids.
