May was an event-filled month for us! We enjoyed spending time with our volunteers and corporate sponsors whose time and resource helped to provide need to hurting people in Los Angeles. We wouldn’t be able to do all that we do without their help.
To hear about all the happenings this past month, please watch the May update.
God Bless,
Andy Bales, CEO
On Saturday May 21st, URM and Hope Gardens welcomed over 180 Wells Fargo volunteers to the 3rd Annual Wells Fargo Act of Kindness Day. Teams of volunteers worked on every floor of the downtown URM facility serving the needs of our many guests.
These volunteers brought not only eagerness to serve, but also huge amounts of donations for our URM guests. Volunteers from Wells Fargo donated a total of 2062 packs of diapers, 1298 pairs of socks, 270 sticks of deodorant and 228 toiletries from a drive they coordinated on their own.
Thanks to generous donations from Wells Fargo, URM was able to build a new playground area for the children of the Mission. We dedicated our new Children’s Rooftop Playground on Saturday with an informal ribbon cutting and are so grateful for Wells Fargo’s support.
The volunteers then spent the morning deep cleaning the halls of each floor, painting planters on the roof, hosting kids activities in the gymnasium, putting together sack lunches in the kitchen, and serving ice cream to the guests. Volunteers served the Skid Row residents as well, handing out water bottles and sack lunches. A few volunteers also taught a class to single mothers on the importance of banking and finance.
The day ended with a BBQ dinner and karaoke on the roof for both volunteers and families staying at URM. With music playing, everyone enjoyed themselves during this time of fellowship and fun.
While the event took place at the downtown URM location, 24 volunteers from Wells Fargo served our Hope Gardens location. Together they cleared our hiking trail, cleaned and sealed the stone walls, and replace old tables in the senior center.
Thank you to Wells Fargo and every one of the volunteers that came to serve URM this past weekend. We were blessed by your kindness and hard work!
I just returned from a fantastic, encouraging Association of Gospel Rescue Missions Conference, and heard from many faithful people how much they have been praying for me!
I want to let you know that your prayers have been powerful! Your prayers, God’s healing touch, a very strict diet, lots of exercise, and strong medicine from my brilliant doctors have helped me make a remarkable improvement!
Last Thanksgiving my kidneys failed, and for a few weeks I thought I was not going to make it. I certainly was believing I would have to retire and go on disability, as I signed up and went through the testing for possible kidney dialysis and a kidney transplant. My world was turned a bit upside down.
However, with some encouraging words by my Dr. that I needed to “work until I dropped”, strong support from my wife and the team at URM, tripling of my medication, and going on a strict low phosphorous and low potassium diet, mostly made up of vegetables, fruits and water, along with 8 weeks of shots of procrit to boost my red blood cells and rid me of dizziness I was experiencing, my kidney function has improved from 16% to 22%, moving me far away from dialysis for the time being.
I’ve not only improved remarkably in kidney function, but I’ve lost 34 lbs and my red blood cell count has improved so much that I no longer need the expensive shots of procrit, and my cholesterol is so good that any blockage in my heart and arteries is being reduced! In fact, at Thanksgiving 15 out of my 15 blood tests were abnormal. Now only 9 out of 15 tests are at abnormal levels.
I haven’t had a diet coke, chocolate, cheese, dairy of any kind, chips, potatoes, and my favorite sweet potatoes or baked beans in over 26 weeks, but it is easy to follow a diet when it keeps you alive and doing the work that you love! Thanks, again, for your faithful prayers!
In the days leading up to August 29, 2005, Ralph and his nine-year-old son, Tokoyo, gave little thought to looming Hurricane Katrina. Despite warnings to evacuate their New Orleans home, they determined to ride it out.
“We didn’t take it seriously,” says Ralph, a freelance photographer and videographer. “We’d heard warnings to evacuate hurricanes before. So we thought we’d just wait this one out like all the others.”
But this time the levees broke, and within a matter of hours almost 80% of New Orleans was underwater —including Ralph and Tokoyo’s home.
“We had to climb onto the roof of our house,” Tokoyo recalls. “I saw people waving flags from their houses and other people crawling through the water.” With no help in sight, Ralph and Tokoyo found an airbed floating by and decided to use it to escape.
“We had to leave everything behind,” Ralph says. “Clothes, music, all my cameras, everything. I had shot a lot of great photos of the flood and the devastation. But I lost it all.”
Ralph and Tokoyo paddled through waters teeming with toxic chemicals, snakes, dead animals — and dead people. Several hours later, they found their way to the Louisiana Superdome, along with 26,000 other refugees from the Category 5 storm.
Weeks later, after the waters subsided, Ralph and Tokoyo returned home. They were unable to salvage anything. Ralph was forced to start his life over without any money or resources. Over the next five years, father and son tried settling in Shreveport, Louisiana; Texas; Seattle; and finally Los Angeles, seeking lost family members and new opportunities.”
I thought we could move in with my grandmother in Los Angeles and maybe get a fresh start,” Ralph says. “But that didn’t work out and we ended up homeless again.”
So last fall, Ralph brought Tokoyo —now 14 years old — to Union Rescue Mission, the only rescue mission in Los Angeles that shelters single dads with teenage sons.
“When we first got here,” Ralph recalls, “the staff just wrapped themselves around us and got us hooked up with medical and dental help, and mental health care. They got my son into school and tutoring. And then they got us thinking about getting back on the road to self-independence. We got good food, good prayer, good help, and good feelings. I got a positive attitude back.”
Today, Ralph and Tokoyo have found a transitional living space, and Ralph is seeking additional training so he try to break into the communications field in Los Angeles. Tokoyo is finding the hope to dream again too.
“Hurricane Katrina took a big toll on my life,” he says. “But someday I want my kids to know that you can always come out of bad circumstances and become a big person.”
And Ralph adds, “My son and I struggled for five years. I finally found people who cared here at Union Rescue Mission. If it wasn’t for them, we’d be out on the streets. So I thank God for this Mission every day.”
I’ll never forget the phone call I received from a local pastor in October 2008. “Andy,” he said, “I have a two-parent Christian family, with a precious three-year-old daughter, that has lost their job and home. They’ve used up all their savings and have nothing left. I’ve looked everywhere for someplace that can shelter them until they can get back on their feet. Will you help?”
Though Union Rescue Mission wasn’t set up to help two-parent families like this, I said “yes.” That’s when I realized, because of the worsening recession, we would soon face a tsunami of families that would need our help. And I knew I would not be able to sleep at night if we didn’t step up.
Today we are the only rescue mission in Los Angeles that houses single moms with children, single dads with children, two-parent families with children, and families with teenage children. Our commitment to never turn anyone away who needs our help has stretched our budget beyond the breaking point. Yet we will never back away from that commitment.
Thank you for sharing our commitment.
Blessings,
Andy Bales, CEO
We honored Porto’s Bakery in Glendale today by presenting them with a plaque in appreciation for their long time support and commitment to helping serve those who are experiencing homelessness.
Rev. Andy Bales said “With the cost of food continuing to rise and donations steadily declining Porto’s donations have been an added life-line to the thousands of meals served daily at the Mission. It is an honor to honor Porto’s Bakery for providing bread and other wonderful treats for our guests”.
URM’s Associate Director of Eimago, Elizabeth Kelly said “It was awesome how much was donated to our Winter Shelters, and our guests truly looked forward to the delicious pastries with their early morning coffee”.
URM’s head Chef Larry Wheeler said “The donations have helped us immensely and are served daily to our guests, there was one week when we were unable to pickup and the guests were all upset asking what had happened to the delicious pastries…the bread donations have helped us as well and helped our budget greatly, we make almost of all the sandwiches with bread donated by Porto’s.”
Porto’s bakery located at 315 North Brand Boulevard in Glendale California has been faithfully donating between 250-400 boxes of pastries on a monthly basis since 2008, and just this year the Glendale store has graciously stepped up. Monthly donations have more than doubled, to over 800 boxes of pastries a month.
A background history from their website tells the story of this families humble beginnings http://www.portosbakery.com/content/porto%E2%80%99s-bakery-cafe
Union Rescue Mission’s Vice President of Marketing and Development, Jacqui Groseth, has been nominated for L.A. Business Journal’s “Women Making A Difference” Award.
At the end of April 2010 with only two months left in the fiscal year, the gap between URM’s budget and income was over 5 million dollars. After exploring every conceivable option to survive and keep URM’s core programs and services intact, the mission’s board and senior leadership made a painful decision to close Hope Gardens Family Center, an oasis for single moms with children and senior ladies experiencing homelessness, unless 2.8 million dollars could be raised by June 30, 2010.
Jacqui played a vital role in developing and executing the “Save Hope Gardens Campaign” which launched on May 24th. Utilizing 7 different core communication channels/categories with multiple electronic and social media sub-channels the campaign generated $3.8 million dollars in donations and did in fact save Hope Gardens. “It was nothing short of a miracle” says Liz Mooradian, historian and special assistant to URM’s CEO.
Jacqui has been helping rescue missions and other non-profit organizations gain brand awareness and raise money for over 15 years. In August of 2008 she joined the staff of Union Rescue Mission in downtown Los Angeles as the Associate Development Director- a move that brought her full circle on a journey she began 32 years ago as a high school student volunteering her time each month to help people experiencing homelessness on Skid Row right here in the City of Angels. In January of 2011, Jacqui was promoted to the position of Vice President of Marketing and Development. She provides leadership for Union Rescue Mission’s Volunteer, Gift-in-Kind, Communications, Gift Processing, Donor Relations and Direct Marketing departments. Her primary responsibility is to ensure that the Mission’s fundraising and communication messaging adheres to URM’s brand guide, mission statement and established marketing and fundraising goals.
Because of Jacqui’s extensive marketing and communication skills she is regularly asked to share her expertise via speaking engagements and training seminars. Her career accomplishments include several industry awards including Echo, Telly and the USPS Gold Mailbox Award. Earlier this year she earned the “Paul Harris Fellow” award for her support of Rotary International. Jacqui has served in a variety of volunteer leadership roles including: San Marino Library Foundation Committee Member, Young Life Foothills Committee Member and San Gabriel Christian School Board Moderator. She and husband Jeff are active in their community and are the proud parents of daughter, Samantha who recently graduated Magna Cum Lade from Northeastern University.
The Los Angeles Business Journal said it is “Proud to honor women of outstanding achievement in our business community”. The 19th Annual Award Luncheon and Ceremony is scheduled for Wednesday, May 18, 2011 at the Hyatt Regency Century City Plaza and will recognize L.A.’s most successful women business leaders.
This year’s Union Rescue Mission Golf Classic was held on May 9th at Trump National Golf Course, sponsored by the generosity of Toyota Motors Sales. The Trump National Golf Course is hidden away in the California cliffs taking advantage of one of the most incredible views of the Pacific Ocean from every hole. Noted as the most expensive golf course ever built, participants in the Golf Classic truly enjoyed a luxurious day.
In teams of four, participants took to the 18 holes of the course, some of which had contest games and prizes for the golfers. Following the golfing, a Silent Auction, Live Auction, Dinner and program awaited both golfers and guests. The whole day was a testament to the generous hearts of many doing their part to help URM aid in making a lasting difference in the lives of those experiencing homelessness.
Homelessness is hard for anyone experiencing it. But it’s especially hard for single dads with kids, two-parent families with kids, and families with teenagers.
I hope you will take a moment to watch the above video of such a family. Ralph and his son, Tokoyo struggled with homelessness for five years after Hurricane Katrina robbed them of everything. Thanks to our caring supporters though, this precious family was given the chance to start over.
Union Rescue Mission is the only mission in Los Angeles County that offers help to single men, single women, single moms with children, single dads with children, two-parent families with children, and families with teenagers.
On behalf of every mother, father, son, and daughter here at the Mission, thank you for your compassion.
Gratefully,
Andy Bales, CEO
Women and men guests of Union Rescue Mission were treated Monday afternoon with a Grooming and Beauty Day. The event was hosted by The Church of Love and Unity Christan Fellowship in the guest chapels. Stations were set up for men’s haircuts, women’s hair styling, makeup, facials, and manicures. Thirty men and thirty women took part in this Day of Beauty Make Over’s spa, in the spirit of this Mothers Day coming up this Sunday!
Volunteers prayed with the women as they finished up their makeovers and sent them off with a smile on their face.
Thank you to the Church of Love & Unity for gifting our mothers and guest men with this service for the third year!
We’ve had a lot of things happening in April! From egg hunts to community outreach to an Easter Sunrise Service, we were able to spread love to many people this month in the name of Jesus. One of our most exciting events, however, was the introduction of a new Gateway Program. This program follows the “hand up instead of a hand out” philosophy, so that guests are able to contribute to their own success. We believe that holding them to higher standards helps them accomplish more than they ever thought possible. To hear more about what has been happening, please click here to watch my update.
We count on your donations to continue the work of Union Rescue Mission. I hope you will consider giving a gift today.
Blessings,