A Turning Point

Who Can Visit?

A Turning Point serves anyone who needs food. No ID or documentation is required to register for the food pantry. All shopping requires a reservation made through the SoxBox online portal at portal.soxbox.co/pantry/a-turning-point-kc.

How to Reserve?

Pantry session reservations open every Monday at 9:00 a.m. To make a reservation:

1. On Monday mornings around 9:00 a.m., visit portal.soxbox.co/pantry/a-turning-point-kc.
2. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click "Pantry Session."
3. Choose your time.
4. Click "Confirm."
5. Follow the prompts to set up your SoxBox account.

Your reservation will show as "pending" until it is approved, which happens as the session gets closer. If you cannot make your reservation, please cancel it so others can shop. No-call/no-shows will have their ability to book paused for two weeks.

For Thursday box pick-up, reservations open on Tuesdays at 9:00 a.m.

Items Needed for Registration

No documentation is required to register for the food pantry.

How Often You Can Visit?

You can shop the pantry one time each week. Only one shopper per household is allowed per visit.

Good to Know

Please bring your own bags when you shop, as this helps keep costs down for the pantry. Please arrive at your designated shopping time and do not come early, since the pantry serves many families and needs to keep things moving smoothly. Early arrivals will need to wait outside until their shopping time begins. The pantry serves more than 300 families every week.

Food & Essentials

A Turning Point offers a wide variety of food items, including fresh fruit, vegetables, and meat. Reviewers note that the food selection is high quality and diverse. The pantry also provides some household items. Dog food is available in the pantry for pet owners as well.

How to Pick Up

A Turning Point is a client-choice pantry, meaning you get to pick out the items you want yourself. Staff and volunteers are on hand to help you shop and to help load your car when you are done. The process is described as organized and quick, with most visitors in and out in about 10 minutes.

Sessions are held on:

• Tuesdays: 4:45 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
• Thursdays: Box pick-up 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
• Saturdays: 8:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

Additional Support

A Turning Point offers several services beyond the food pantry:

• Wardrobe (Clothing Closet): Free clothing is available for adults and children, including plus-size options. Wardrobe shopping is available once per month. Reservations are required and can be made through the same SoxBox portal.
• Community Meals: A hot picnic-style meal is served every Sunday at North Cross United Methodist Church.
• Academy: Adults can earn a high school diploma (not a GED) through A Turning Point's Academy. Classes are completely free with no hidden fees. A photo ID is required to enroll. Students must be past their high school graduation date to be eligible.
• Guest House (Northland Outreach): Guests can get a hot meal, take a shower, wash clothes, and use a computer.
• SNAP and Benefits Assistance: Staff can help visitors get signed up for food stamps, SSI, and other programs.
• Support Groups: Narcotics Anonymous and other support groups are available.

You can contact A Turning Point at (816) 702-6801 or info@aturningpointkc.org for more information about any of these services.

Facilities

The Guest House offers free showers, laundry facilities, and computer access for people who need them.

Ways to Give

A Turning Point welcomes the following types of donations:

• Food donations: Best delivered directly to the pantry building.
• Clothing, shoes, coats, and hygiene items: Deliver to the admin building. All undergarments and socks must be brand new. Please remove hangers and place clothing in bags before dropping off. Tents, sleeping bags, and blankets in great condition are also accepted.
• Items not accepted: Household items, furniture, toys, and books are not accepted.

Donation drop-off hours are Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and Wednesday from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Please do not leave items outside the buildings.

Financial gifts can be made through PayPal at paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=DZZ5KWADA76EE. You can make a one-time gift or set up a recurring monthly donation. To avoid processing fees, you can also mail a check or set up automatic payments through your bank:

A Turning Point 1900 NE Englewood Rd. Gladstone, MO 64118

For gifts of stocks, bonds, or mutual funds, or for information about planned giving, contact Rikki Fulmer at rfulmer@aturningpointkc.org. If you are a Thrivent Financial member, you can donate your Choice Dollars to A Turning Point. A Turning Point is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, so all donations are tax deductible.

How to Join the Team?

Volunteers are the heart of A Turning Point. There are opportunities for all ages, individuals, and groups at a variety of commitment levels. Volunteer roles include:

• Helping pantry guests shop and loading their cars
• Unloading and restocking food shipments between sessions
• Helping wardrobe guests shop for clothing
• Sorting, hanging, folding, and organizing clothing donations
• Tutoring or mentoring Academy students
• Teaching life skills classes
• Helping with Community Meals preparation and serving
• Facility tasks like cleaning, mowing, and maintenance

To sign up for volunteer opportunities, visit pointapp.org/orgs/4409. You can also call (816) 702-6801 to take a tour and talk with someone about serving. For food pantry volunteer questions, contact Program Manager Shannon McCarthy at smccarthy@aturningpointkc.org. Children are welcome to volunteer with a parent supervising them.

A Turning Point also has an Early Bird Volunteer Program: volunteers who help set up before a shopping session can shop the pantry or wardrobe before it opens to the public, getting first pick of newly restocked items. To join this program, speak with a staff member directly.