Archive for November, 2008
by robin on Thursday, November 13th, 2008, Filed Under Press Releases | View Comments
MEDIA ALERT
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Kitty Davis-Walker
Email: kwalker@urm.org
2500 MEALS SERVED TO HOMELESS IN HONOR OF
11 YEAR OLD BRENDEN FOSTER
(A Dying Boy’s Wish)
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 14 AT UNION RESCUE MISSION
LOS ANGELES, CALIF. (November 12, 2008)——On Friday, November 14, 2008 The Union Rescue Mission will serve 2,500 meals to its friends who are homeless in honor of 11 year old Brenden Foster, whose dying wish is to feed the homeless.
Each guest will also leave with a sack lunch bearing a special message of love from Brenden.
Union Rescue Mission’s CEO, Andy Bales said “Brenden! We are inspired by you. I have been working to help my friends who are homeless for 23 years, and I will for 23 more. Much love to you!”
Union Rescue Mission’s Daily Meal schedule:
* Breakfast Served – 7:00 A.M. to 8:30 A.M.
* Lunch Served – 12:00 Noon to 2:30 P.M.
* Dinner Served – 6:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M.
For more information about Brenden Foster visit our website www.urm.org or call Kitty Davis-Walker @ (213) 673-4585.
About Union Rescue Mission
Union Rescue Mission is a non-profit organization dedicated to serving the poor and homeless. Established in 1891, URM is one of the largest rescue missions of its kind in the United States and is the oldest in Los Angeles. It provides a comprehensive array of emergency and long-term services, including food, shelter, clothing; medical and dental care; Christian recovery programs, transitional housing, legal assistance, education, counseling and job training to needy men, women, children and families. For more information, please visit our website www.unionrescuemission.org
by mindy on Wednesday, November 12th, 2008, Filed Under Rev Andy's Blog | View Comments
As I stood speaking next to an LAPD Patrol Officer, a gentleman lay still on the sidewalk, covered in a sheet. He had not awakened that morning due to what appeared to be an overdose of heroin. Other folks in the same dire straits walked past and made signs of the cross, respectfully prayed, or blessed the man now departed.
The officer asked, “What is it going to take to change this area?” I shared the usual answers: the difference and improvement the LAPD has made through the Safer Cities Initiative, the increased outreach, the building of permanent supportive housing and the plans to build more. But then I said what I believe needs to be said, “This area of Skid Row needs to be deconstructed, disestablished. The plan to corral/contain homelessness in the 50 square block area known as Skid Row over the past several decades has created, what I describe as, the worst human made disaster in the United States. Dropping off, dumping, and gathering all of our County’s most challenged, struggling, and, sometimes, desperate folks into one dense area has done the area and those individuals undue harm.”
My friends who are homeless would be best served if they could regularly connect with other healthy people in a community surrounded and filled with Hope. That is why Union Rescue Mission founded Hope Gardens Family Center, far from the mean streets of Skid Row. The transformational locale and community has done wonders for the spirit of our moms and children. We moved ahead with the plan for Hope Gardens because of our own convictions, but also due to a study by University of Southern California which stated that our friends who are homeless would best be served in their own regions, in smaller facilities, away from the mean streets of Skid Row.
As the CEO of one of the largest Mission’s of its kind west of the Mississippi river and as the President of the Los Angeles Central Providers Collaborative on Skid Row, I now truly believe we need 100 facilities like Hope Gardens for each of our men, women and children homeless in our communities. Skid Row, as we know it, and the policies of containment and corralling need to be deconstructed and disestablished for the good of our community and the good of the individuals we are trying to assist, encourage and provide a hand up and out of homelessness. -Andy B.
by alex on Wednesday, November 12th, 2008, Filed Under General | View Comments
Please watch this video, made by Los Hermanos, a group of mother and their high school aged sons, dedicated to Brenden: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDrJPwq2tjw
Brenden Foster has been in the news lately, this 11yr old boy braving the last days of his life is asking for people to feed the homeless. As a result all the meals on Friday, Nov 14, at Union Rescue Mission are going to be given in his honor. Brenden’s words have been echoing around the country as many people get more involved in being part of the solution to homelessness.
See the news story at KOMO
See the news story at KCAL 9
How has Brenden’s message changed you?
by monica on Wednesday, November 5th, 2008, Filed Under General, Press Releases | View Comments
On November 22nd, Union Rescue Mission on San Pedro Street will be transformed into Whoville, a community right out of the hit animated film “Horton Hears A Who!”
Click here for more information – thanksgiving-2008
