April 10, 2026
Open Hands & Big Dreams
We’re skating into the 2nd quarter of 2026 with lots of anticipation and a certain open-handedness that we continue to learn is quite necessary in our line of work. So far, 2026 is keeping us on our toes. Again.
Delayed federal grant reimbursements almost caused us to go into panic mode – half a year earlier than anticipated. (Again). Fortunately, our January and February payments ended up coming through just last week. We are actively preparing for the large majority of this funding source to end in September and are now holding the reliability of those months in-between even more loosely.
Memos were released that stirred up the need for our newly-established Immigration Legal Services department to go into hyper drive on processing green card applications. Additionally, we have committed time to ongoing training and preparation to set a more solid foundation for sustainability and scalability in all of our programs and services.
Renovations began in our soon-to-be Learning Center at 1 E. Broadway – and then, of course, there were delays to those renovations.
Meanwhile, our 4th annual Poem-a-Thon launched on April 1 – and it’s already raised more than any other year (you can still support a poet here). We are heavy in GO mode for our first ever Fundraising Gala that takes place mid-April and are excited about everything the night will entail. (Our tables filled up so quickly we weren’t even able to make this a public event, but we would love your help in making this a smashing success! You can give here toward our total amount.)
In March we opened up City Cuisine for the 2026 season with a focus more on catering vs. ordering at the window. Check out our new menu here for some of our new delicious food offerings. City Boutique is still thriving, and we are excited about our Global Artisans and the new extended hours we now have every Friday (open until 6:00pm)!
I’ve mentioned before that we have hopeful plans to renovate and expand both City Cuisine & City Boutique in 2026 to help diversify our revenue streams and provide more employment/employability opportunities for our refugee friends. Today I’m excited to share renderings (below) of the architectural drawings we are in the process of finalizing.
We believe that the investments in these new spaces will be pivotal for the infrastructure and longevity of City of Refuge, as both endeavors also bring in necessary funding to our programs and services and provide practical pathways for our refugee friends to thrive. It will also create some necessary efficiencies to our current donation intake process!
The plan is for City Boutique to move over to 1 E. Broadway. Once that has moved, we will be able to occupy the current City Boutique space with a brick and mortar City Cuisine operation.
Curious how you can help be a part of these two exciting initiatives? Truly, financial donations are our biggest ongoing need.
- Monthly Donors – We are still looking for 1,000 folks in our community to commit to a $50/month donation. This recurring investment allows us to strategically plan and prepare for the future. It’s not just $10, $20, or $50 a month… It’s support that we know we can count on, and we need every penny of it.
- 50% Missouri State Tax Credits – Our City Cuisine project is currently eligible for NAP Tax Credits. If you earn business revenue and are interested in how your investment in City of Refuge can also provide you an additional benefit, we’d love to chat! Click here for more info!
- One-Time Donations – Can’t commit to anything ongoing? That’s okay! We can (will!) utilize anything you can give. Checks, cash, online, stocks – we’ll happily accept it all! If you’re over 70, giving through a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) from your Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) can be a great option. Click here to learn more.
We’re on the precipice of some really exciting things, but we absolutely cannot do it without the support of our local community.
We hope you’ll help us make it happen, that you’ll help us navigate the unknowns going on all around us by being a trusted partner who we can count on – month after month and year after year – as we seek to serve and empower our refugee neighbors.
Thank you.
Debbie Beal
Executive Director
