Our History:

The Good Samaritan Center was started in 1986 when Father Larry Speichinger called together a dedicated and compassionate group at St. Ann Catholic Church to consider responses to the area's growing number of families asking for help. What began as a St. Vincent De Paul group soon grew into an independent social service agency giving emergency assistance and advocacy to families and individuals in Excelsior Springs and the surrounding rural areas of Clay and Ray Counties, who were lacking or at risk of not having, life's basic necessities.

In May of 1989 the Good Samaritan Center of Excelsior Springs was incorporated and granted tax exempt status from the IRS. One of the original founding group, Mary Lou Greim has served as center director since it's incorporation.

In 1992 the Center's children's program was started; Good Sam Kids Club meets in the basement of the Center's building four days a week. Children are helped with skills and homework, work on computers, and do artwork with one-on-one attention from volunteers.

In 1993 Good Samaritan Center Shop, a thrift store, opened. It is called Broadway Bargains and is located in the upstairs of the Center's building, corner of Thompson and Broadway. The store provides good, used clothing and household items for reasonable cost, and at no cost to families who have no money. The store provides training in job skills for one to three workers in the Title 5 Program.

Good Samaritan House was opened in 1996 for families with at least one employable adult and at least one child. The 3-story building, donated by a local family, was gutted and renovated into three large apartments. It houses a strict program of transitional living for families who are at risk of homelessness. Families stay from three to twelve months. They learn life skills, communication and cooperation skills, budgeting, and while in the program, accumulate savings for moving into secure housing. Several have bought homes.