The Mission to Serve

IST Gives Back

IST Gives Back had the opportunity to chat with MUST Ministries’ VP of Marketing & PR, Kaye Cagle, to discuss some of the core values and exciting things happening this year at MUST Ministries.

Kaye Cagle is the Vice President of Marketing and Public Relations at MUST Ministries. Serving as a pillar of the organization since 2009, Kaye established the first marketing department for MUST and has seen the ministry grow from $3 million to today’s $12 million. Not only is Kaye incredibly proficient at her job, but she is overwhelmingly humble and exudes a genuine warmth that extends to all who have the opportunity to meet her. When asked what Ms. Cagle enjoys most about working at MUST, she responds with “their commitment to excellence for people in poverty” and cites MUST Ministries as “the most transparent place I’ve ever worked.” MUST Ministries’ success rate with stabilizing homelessness is over double the national average. Kaye states, “The approach and program are key. I have to believe that the relational part, the loving people part, the serving people part, is the most powerful healer.”

Specifically for our efforts to serve youth education and alienated young people, it is essential to understand that generational poverty is the main root for a lot of their struggles. These children and young adults don’t have role models or anyone to show or tell them that they are capable of achieving better for themselves. It is important as people who work with them to give them the tools and the motivation to dream for better futures and achieve them. We do a lot of outreach, mentorship, and provide resources to help these young people have a chance at succeeding, even if they’ve never even directly seen what that might look like.

Yes! We are so excited about all the new developments. So, IST pledged $50,000 which helped build and buy new iPads and technology for the new after-school learning center in the Elizabeth Inn. Currently, the Elizabeth Inn is a converted church. However, the new campus is set to open in 2022 and includes the shelter (expanding from 72 to 136 beds and 36 flex beds), an enlarged kitchen, dining hall, clinic, and outreach center that will be much larger than the current campus and help accommodate more people. This year is huge because it means the mobile pantry and the new campus. These have been created solely by the MUST Ministries team specifically to serve families and the community. Thoughtfulness, durability, and sustainability are what we made our utmost priority through the planning and development of these exciting projects. MUST Ministries has a very strong commitment to doing the right thing by the donors as well as by the client. The donors are making a sacrifice to give and they wish to be good stewards.

What exactly does “Outreach” mean for MUST Ministries?

At MUST, outreach efforts serve people who are unsheltered, living in the woods, cars, etc. We provide food, shelter, hygiene, etc. for these individuals. In these cases, relationships and trust are going to be the convincing point for people to allow us to help them. A lot of them are very distrustful and it takes a lot to even get them to agree to let us care for and help them. Many people show up with nothing but a garbage bag. Unfortunately, people in poverty often experience the “leftovers.” At MUST, we prioritize treating them with dignity and respect. From the moment they walk in, they are our clients. We serve them in the dining halls, host them with a place to live, and slowly help them transition back into society and get on the right track to start their lives. Small things like clients using the front door and workers using the backdoor reinforce the sense of dignity and respect that they deserve to feel. When we move someone out of the shelter and into an apartment, they go to the donation center and one of our personal shoppers assists them in picking out starter apartment essentials. When someone comes to our pantries, we load and unload their groceries for them. So many small details like these make a big difference in how they feel about themselves. It is our promise to never make clients feel like they are just getting the “leftovers” at MUST.

What do you think people outside of the nonprofit world would be most surprised to learn?

People would be most surprised to learn that adolescent girls are often the most underserved demographic. Girls without feminine hygiene products do not go to school. Many girls miss a week of school every month because they don’t have hygiene products. This is a HUGE hurdle. Feminine hygiene is not cheap and people often forget to donate these things. Bras, underwear, diapers, and feminine hygiene are major needs.

How can individuals with not a lot of time or money get involved to help?

There are several ways to help: Volunteer, Donate, and Participate! People can volunteer at various sites to come help. Elizabeth Inn needs volunteers on nights and weekends. Volunteers help with mail, laundry, and serving. Saturday volunteer schedules are really popular for people who work during the week. Donate food– I cannot stress this enough, that is our absolute biggest need. Check out the MUST Ministries website for a list that they need most. Participate in events (post COVID-19) such as golf, gala, Gobble Jog, MUST Dance, etc. for fun ways to meet and help others.

IST Gives Back is a proud sponsor of MUST Ministries and looks forward to seeing all the amazing work that will continue to be accomplished through their efforts.