To any friends of glutenfreejoplin who might be still checking with this blog I want to send a note to let you know what has been happening with our group here in Joplin.

Our city is still definitely feeling the effects of the tornado but things have improved a great deal. We are in a rebuilding phase but there is so very much to do. None of us really know what the city will look like and it is still very confusing when you go into town as there are still no street signs in the affected area. And the power is still a huge issue in the path of the tornado and they say it is very dark in there at night. I have been struggling with my health a lot lately and so don't get out much in the evenings.

We have given out a lot of gluten free food to Celiacs and gluten intolerant people in our group and in our community on behalf of the lovely, caring and generous Celiac community around the country. I have just been amazed at how many parts of the country individuals and groups and vendors have sent food from for those in need after the tornado.

Most of the people we have helped are in some kind of home now and we even have one member and her family who got one of the Extreem Home-makeover homes that was built here....very exciting! Kari, Her husband and their 4 children lost their home, cars and possessions in the tornado. So it is wonderful to see them in a home now. They are very nice people.

I don't know the stories of the people who got food from the gluten free shelves at Mission Joplin but the volunteers that work there have told me there have been families that needed the gluten free food and were very grateful for the foods provided. We have now discontinued supplying gf food at Mission Joplin as we have not had any food coming in for almost two months.

We have had gift cards to a local natural foods store to give and when they are gone that will be the end of this effort.

I am grateful to be able to help you get gf food to those in need. I ask that you continue to pray for our community as we put our city back together.

God Bless you all. Rita Greenstreet

We are past the three month mark now since the the E-5 tornado swept away about a third of Joplin.

I am sure that I have mentioned this in so many of my posts but I must say it again. the Celiac community have been very generous to those affected by the tornado in Joplin and much gluten free food has been sent to me to distribute to the gluten intolerant in our group and in our area. But now these past few weeks the deliveries have stopped so our work is about done here I am thinking. I bought some gf food again today at one of the local health food stores for the food pantry and i have enough to do that a few more times. I think we can keep the gf shelves at Mission Joplin going a little longer. Because we are listed on RebuildJoplin.org there are Celiacs going to Mission Joplin for gluten free food and that is why we have food there in addition to what has been given from our home. We are grateful to Barbara Hicks from the Branson?Kimberling City Celiac Support Group and also Johnna Perry from Kansas City who have been such an encouragement to me and to the Celiacs in Joplin. Several of the ladies in our support group here"Southwest Missouri Celiac Support Group " have helped me in a number of ways . It has been an opportunity for me to get to know our group so much better and I am looking forward to our upcoming meeting on the 3rd Saturday of September. Good afternoon all.

Mission Joplin's gluten free shelves were almost empty today. I took 5 boxes of gf food in and a couple of really sweet volunteers helped me stock and straighten the shelves.

That is leaving some considerable gaps in the shelves here but as I said in the last entry, things seem to be gearing down. I do have some gift certificates to give as a Celiac Support Group in Denver donated $500.00 in gift certificates from Suzanne's a local health food store that carries quite a bit of gluten free food. that will be nice for folks as they can choose what they like. There is also some money left from what Bi-State Celiac Support Group Donated to Joplin Celiacs to Celiacs to buy gf food. (they have gone on hiatus for awhile and wanted to do something special with money on their budget. I will buy gf food as long as that holds out but of course with the cost of gf food that won't be to long.

There were several people that asked me to let people know by way of this blog if we were running out of food.

I must say however , the gluten free community has been so very generous and have sent food for close to three months now and we have given it to all those we have found in Joplin that have Celiac disease or are gluten intolerant. We all truly appreciate all that everyone that has donated in anyway has done for the gluten free community in Joplin.

Hope you all have a good weekend.

Well I am not sure if anyone is checking or reading this blog anymore as I find I am not much of a blogger. It is quite difficult to think of things to write if you do not have anyone in particular that you are writing to.

However in case anyone is trying to keep up with what is happening with the gluten free in Joplin and our Celiac Support group in particular I will put you up to date.

Our Celiac support group had suspended meeting until September and that is just around the corner. We meet on the 3rd Saturday of the month from 3-5 PM at Forest Park Baptist Church, on 7th and Rangeline Road in Joplin MO. That would make it September 17th this time.

The next thing I need to mention is that while donations have slowed down considerably we still have gluten free food for those that need it. We have had several people here this week and I know of a couple more that will be here this week yet. They are finding a variety of food as people who have donated have sent varied types of gluten free food. We don't have as many snack foods left, probably more mixes and pastas. many more families are getting into some more stable housing even if it is temporary housing like the FEMA modular units so they will be able to do some cooking. As I have said before it will be some time before homes are rebuilt but the process has started as much of the debris has been removed.

As far as Mission Joplin is concerned, we still have our gluten free shelves there and folks are definately using it. As a matter of fact there have been considerable gaps in the food there. I am not sure how much longer we will have enough food to keep it stocked but we will continue to take food in there as long as we have gluten free food to give.

One really nice part of this for me has been the relationships that I have made. Both with Celiacs and gluten intolerant here and the volunteers in our area that are Celiacs and have needed a little help with food and the also the wonderful people who have donated food. We have some wonderful, generous vendors who have sent food to help Joplin Celiacs and i have really enjoyed the conversations I have had with many of them. As you can see by this blog...I am not the greatest writer and my emails are often a bit slow but I have tried to keep up. thanks again for all the love that you have sent to folks in our area. It has been what has kept us going. Until next time...be well RitaG

Joplin Tornado The Road Back

http://youtu.be/P9e8B6yX2-c

http://www.kcchiefs.com/media-center/videos/Reflection/29f146d3-aa37-463f-b915-cde197a7344f