Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

An Albert Lea ministry that makes do-rags and bandanas for cancer patients and the homeless across the country is working with two rescue missions in the Los Angeles area to help residents who lost their homes in recent fires.

Richard Miller of the Ministries of Project Happiness said a few weeks ago he shipped a box of 600 bandanas and do-rags to the Midnight Mission in Los Angeles. After he saw news of the fires, he contacted them again, and they are working with the organization, which has been a designated shelter for fire victims, to send more as they expected a “multitude” from homeless who live outdoors already and families who have lost their home and are coming to their shelter from around the area.

A representative from the shelter told them they would be reaching out to people they never would have seen during normal times.

Miller said he also received a message from another mission in Los Angeles that also wanted more bandanas. Included with each bandana and do-rag is a card that has the ABCs of salvation.

“We need prayer for those who receive the ‘ministries in a bag’ to turn to Christ and accept his free gift of salvation,” Miller said. “We also need sheets, cloth, cardstock, zip-top sandwich bags, dye and money for thread.”

Miller and his wife, Jane, have had the ministry for about 10 years, providing bandanas and do-rags to rescue missions in 48 states. Jane has made 108,000 bandanas and do-rags from discarded hotel sheets and other donated cloth, and Miller ships them out to the homeless missions.

He said people are welcome to donate any of the needed items at their home at 807 S. Newton Ave. in Albert Lea or at their thrift store location from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 1521 E. Hawthorne St.