Gr8 Acts of Kindness winner brings joy to the homeless

PARAGOULD, Ark. (KAIT) - Could you be one bad decision or a few bad decisions away from being homeless? That’s probably not something you’ve ever thought about.

This month’s Gr8 Acts of Kindness winner cares deeply for those who find themselves in just such a situation.

Region 8 News found her at an elaborate Christmas party that she had arranged-right down to the last package. There were violinists.

“Dawn,” Missy Threadgill yells as she checks names off of her list.

“This is going to make me cry because I got a lot of presents,” a smiling Cataleya said.

The excitement you can see is overwhelming.

“It’s Jesus’ birthday!” Cataleya said.

5-year-old Cataleya could hardly contain her joy at an annual event at the Mission Outreach in Paragould. Were it not for the shelter, they would have found themselves homeless at Christmas.

Each person in the shelter receives a gift, plus...

“Each one of them got a $100 dollar gift certificate,” said Jana Burnett, Executive Director of Mission Outreach of NEA.

“She put a hundred dollars on every one of our books here,” resident Shelli Eldridge said. “We can use it in case of an emergency.”

“A lot of them buy cars here and then deplete their account and then they’ll save up more before they move out,” Burnett said.

All of this, every bit of it is the work of one woman, indeed one of Santa’s very best elves, Missy Threadgill.

“This is her thing. She was made to do this.” Burnett said.

“The world is joy. Jesus others and then yourself. We’ve got that flip-flopped,” said Keith Legrid, helper to Santa and Missy Threadgill. “We focus on ourselves. Maybe others. No, she’s got joy. Jesus, others, and then herself. She’s faith-based. She wants to do it to make a difference to these people.”

Not only does she organize the party. She goes in search of gifts.

“I put it out there that I do this. And people come forward anytime I need help,” Missy Threadgill, December Gr8 Acts of Kindness Winner said.

Missy’s belief? That everyone should have a chance to be remembered at Christmas and be celebrated on their birthday.

“She amazes me,” Shelli Eldridge said.

It’s not easy for some here.

“I’m an alcoholic,” she explained.

Eldridge said Mission Outreach has become her lifeline in the middle of life’s storms.

“And here I am,” she said.

“It can happen to you. It can happen to me. Anybody can be homeless for whatever reason. There’s a lot of reasons for it,” Threadgill said.

The December Gr8 Acts of Kindness winner is more than a volunteer.

She’s dedicated much of her life to helping the homeless.

“I’ve worked on the Mayor’s Task Force to get the HUB started in Jonesboro and I worked some there,” Threadgill explained.

“I don’t know where she gets all the energy,” Legrid said.

“Well, I have heard there’s a special elf here today, Missy Threadgill,” Diana Davis said as Threadgill looked on in disbelief. “You make sure that love lives here. It’s your compassion for your fellow man and woman that is the reason why you are the next winner in the Gr8 Acts of Kindness.”

“What a surprise! What a surprise! Threadgill said as everyone counted the $408 in award money.

If you want to nominate someone to be the next Gr8 Acts of Kindness, you can find the submission form here.

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