Jun 4, 2026 — Renee Beebe: Crossfire Ministries & Feeding Families

Bulletin for June 4, 2026

Featured Speaker: Renee Beebe

Executive Director, Crossfire Ministries — Crossfire Ministries & Feeding Families

OPENING

The prayer was led by our speaker, Renee Beebe. Mike Brass led the Pledge of Allegiance.

"Courage cannot happen without allowing yourself to be vulnerable while ignoring the possible risks."

— Gary M. Rose, United States Army Medal of Honor

UPCOMING EVENTS

• 80th Anniversary Dinner: 40 members signed up with only 8 seats remaining.

• Sleep in Heavenly Peace Bed Build: Saturday, June 27, 10:00 AM–1:00 PM at 1089 Ford Street. Bring water, gloves, and a club shirt for a group photo. Member Dan Kerbs will miss the meeting that day to deliver three beds.

• Lower Arkansas River Valley Tour: Wednesday, July 29, meeting in Rocky Ford at 9:00 AM. Farm-to-table lunch included; visits with local farmers hosted by Dr. Mark Mike. No club meeting the following Thursday.

• Rodeo Outing: Thursday, July 16, 7:00 PM — arrive early around 4:30 PM. Estimated cost $40 per person. No club meeting that day. Sign-up sheet circulated.

• New Horizons Band Spring Concert: Saturday, June 27 at 3:00 PM, Mitchell High School auditorium.

KEYNOTE: RENEE BEEBE — CROSSFIRE MINISTRIES

About Renee

Renee's parents, John and Leslie Miller, co-founded Crossfire Ministries 34 years ago. Renee was raised in the ministry but initially pursued other paths, including opening and selling two Curves Fitness Centers in Lamar and La Junta. A desire to help people more directly — combined with her mother's health issues — brought her back to Crossfire in 2016 as its first paid staff member. She was referred to the club by previous speaker Elizabeth Coavita.

About Crossfire Ministries

Crossfire operates a no-cost grocery store model, allowing food-insecure families to shop once per week. The organization currently serves approximately 400 families per day. Over 50% of families served have at least one working member but still struggle to make ends meet. One in ten people in El Paso County experiences food insecurity.

The main grocery facility is located at 3975 North Academy (at Austin Bluffs). A community thrift store recently opened at 4639 Austin Bluffs to create a sustainable funding stream, as food donations from Care and Share's free program have diminished. Crossfire now budgets $30,000 per month to purchase food. Renee has identified a gap in food access in the District 20 area — between their North Academy location and Tri-Lakes Cares in Monument — and envisions a satellite location there.

Operations and Funding

• Staff: Nine paid employees (some part-time) and 400 volunteers per quarter, with 60–70 needed daily.

• Funding: Entirely supported by churches, community donations, and occasional grants. No government funding.

• Food sourcing: About 90% comes from Care and Share accounts with Walmart, Costco, and Trader Joe's. Unusable food goes to a local pig farmer.

• Client eligibility: No income cutoff for food services — clients self-declare income. Legal ID is required for all family members to determine portion sizes. Financial aid (e.g., utility assistance) requires an application and budget mentoring.

• Collaboration: Renee sits on the Care and Share board and maintains a strong working relationship with Haley, director of Tri-Lakes Cares — sharing ideas and resources across organizations.

Renee extended an open invitation for the club to tour the facility any Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday — and offered to host a meeting with lunch included.

CONCLUSION

Mother Teresa once said: "If you can't feed a hundred people, then feed just one." Crossfire Ministries fulfills a key need in our community that helps families stay healthy, stable, and productive.

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