Archive for November, 2011
Welcome to Our Home – URM Thanksgiving
Saturday, November 19th , found over 3000 hungry people making their way to Union Rescue Mission, “Our Home” where each and every one was welcomed with a smile, a whole lot of food, much love, music, and a wonderful Thanksgiving memory.
Beginning at 11:30 Friday night and continuing through the wee hours of the morning, CEO Andy Bales supervised a group of hardy volunteers deep-frying over 200 turkeys. A second shift of volunteers descended on the kitchen to slice the turkeys and begin preparing the large meals that would feed 3,000 hungry mouths.
This year our Thanksgiving event was held indoors, converting the Men’s and Women’s Guest Chapels into large dining rooms for guests who were served delicious and healthy Herbal-Life shakes as they patiently waited entry to the building. The cafeteria was transformed into a second, large dining room for our program participants, families and Gateway Project residents who dined to music provided by KJLH 102.3FM. Approximately 400 volunteers served the meals to our guests; meals of turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, sweet potatoes, macaroni and cheese, cranberry sauce and green beans. And to top off such sumptuous feasting, slices of pumpkin pie with vanilla ice cream were served on URM’s newly furnished rooftop, our ‘Pie in the Sky’ adventure.
URM’s 3rd floor gymnasium was transformed into a “Kid’s Zone” and our San Julian parking lot became the focus of foot washing, mobile showers for our guests experiencing homelessness to utilize as well as a massive give-away of gift bags full of needed hygiene items. As the events of this special day wound down, Union Rescue Mission’s CEO stated that URM had “…made love & hospitality & Thanksgiving possible today, despite all of the challenges that surround us”. Andy thanked his team as well as the volunteers “…for making this an event that would spread God’s goodness throughout Skid Row…”
Indeed, without the gracious and loving concern and hands-on help from our devoted volunteers the day could not have been as successful. We thank the folks from “Bold and Beautiful”, “Shower Power Now”, “Give Your Sole”, “Herbalife” and, of course radio station KJLH FM 102.3. A special thank you is given to the Annenberg Foundation for their generous financial support for this special day and, of course, the staff at URM as well as the men and women in the Life Transformation Programs who gave of their time cheerfully and lovingly in order to bring so many people experiencing homelessness into “Our Home for Thanksgiving”…
Please stay posted for more picture albums to come. Thanks to Melissa Lundie for providing the pictures for this post!
USC Fraternity Alpha Gamma Omega – Making a Difference
Last Friday, November 18, 2011, Bradley Biggs along with University of Southern California fraternity Alpha Gamma Omega, held a unique event to raise funds for URM. This creative approach proved to be a success at helping those experiencing homelessness in Los Angeles. An over sized foursquare tournament was the name of the game that brought in a generous sum to URM.
A USC parking lot was transformed into a foursquare battlefield, beckoning the bold and courageous to face the over sized squares. Competitors were members of sororities who were invited to participate in the event for a fee, which was donated to URM. Through long, grueling foursquare battles, Delta Gamma proved to be the champions at the end of the day. Congratulations Delta Gamma!!
A huge thank you goes out to Alpha Gamma Omega Fraternity, Bradley Biggs, and all the participating Sororities for partnering with Union Rescue Mission to help end homelessness in Los Angeles.
Zach Bonner – Party For the Youth
Last night, November 17, 2011, was a fun-filled night with everything from popcorn and cake to a bounce house and back-flips. Zach Bonner of The Little Red Wagon foundation chose to celebrate his 14th birthday with the youth of URM, making for an unforgettable night on the URM rooftop.
A huge thank you goes out to all those who made this event possible. Fund a Field, Kohl’s Cares, and America’s Got Talent’s Sideswipe were all part of making this night so special for the attending youth. Children were given the opportunity to customize a teddy bear, play soccer, enjoy arts and crafts, and be amazed Sideswipe’s act – a mix of martial arts and acrobatics.
This event was a huge success thanks to all those who gave of their time and energy to bless the youth of Union Rescue Mission. Happy Birthday Zach, thanks for celebrating with us!
For all the great pictures please visit The Album Here
For live up-dates of future events please follow URM at:
Thanksgiving
At this time last year I did not believe I would be blogging about Thanksgiving in 2011. On November 20th after a busy night of deep-frying 200 turkeys from 11p.m. until dawn at Union Rescue Mission in preparation for our big Thanksgiving event, my kidneys failed and for a few weeks I wasn’t sure I would make it. I certainly believed I would have to retire and go on disability, as I signed up and began the necessary testing process to determine if kidney dialysis or a kidney transplant were options I could consider. My world was turned upside down.
However, with some encouraging words by Dr. Nirmal Kumar that I needed to “work until I dropped”, strong support from my wife and the Board of Directors & team at URM, tripling of my medication, drinking two glasses of water with a tea spoon of baking soda each day, and going on a strict low phosphorous and low potassium diet, mostly made up of vegetables, fruits and water, along with several rounds of shots of Procrit to boost my red blood cells and rid me of dizziness I was experiencing, my kidney function has improved from 15% to 24%, 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, my red blood cell count has improved and my cholesterol is so good that hopefully the blockage in my heart and arteries is being reduced! I’ve tightened the control of my type 1 diabetes to the point that my tests almost ring true of a normal healthy person!
This strict regimen is the only way for me, as I’ve been dropped off the transplant list. It seems that I cannot get a transplant until I have an angioplasty to remove a blockage in my heart, and the dye put into my body for the angioplasty would destroy the rest of my kidney function. So I am stuck in a bit of a quandary, but I’ve decided to stay on the strict diet and regimen, and keep doing this work that I love so much.
I haven’t had a diet soda, chocolate, cheese, dairy of any kind, chips, potatoes, and my favorite sweet potatoes or baked beans in nearly 1 year, but it is easy to follow a diet when it keeps you alive and doing the work that you love!
I lost a dear friend this week, a hero of mine, who fell ill at the same time that I did last year. I don’t fully understand God’s grace to me through this difficult time, but I am so thankful. My wife shared with me last week, “that we have so much to be thankful for!”
So, again this year I will be up with the URM team, strong, and deep-frying 200 turkeys overnight on Friday and early Saturday morning, preparing to feed 4500 precious friends at our big Thanksgiving event at URM. And to top it off, I’m feeling well enough to spend the night on the streets with my precious friends tonight to raise awareness of the plight of our neighbors experiencing homelessness. The honor of serving in this ministry and spending time with my family and friends has driven me to do what it takes to survive, and I have so much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. Thanks, again, for your faithful prayers!
The Mission Newsletter – November 2011
My One Christmas Wish
How you gave one 14-year-old boy experiencing homelessness the courage to hope for a better Christmas.
I love every Christmas. Even though my mom never had much money, at least we always had each other. And sometimes that’s all we had.
I was born in Southside Chicago, in a place we called “the ickies,” because of all the trash, alcohol, noise, gangs, and violence all around us. We finally left Chicago about four years ago, but we never settled anywhere for long.
We moved to Los Angeles to stay with my aunt for a year, but that didn’t work out. Then we moved to Indiana to stay with one of my uncles, but that was one of the worst years of my life — my uncle was really mean and physically abused me. Sometimes I locked myself in the bathroom because it was the only safe place in the house.
Another uncle asked us to move to Milwaukee to stay with him, but he didn’t have much money either. In fact, just a few weeks before Christmas, we were all evicted because he couldn’t pay the rent.
We ended up out on the streets for two nights before we finally found some shelter. After that, my mother had enough and we moved back to Los Angeles. Unfortunately, we couldn’t stay with my aunt, so we ended up in a lot of really bad shelters. We were so poor, I had to go to school with holes in my shoes. I didn’t want anyone to see me, and I didn’t want anyone to know I was homeless, because the other kids will use that against you.
Then my mom finally found Union Rescue Mission. Last January, when she told them all we’d been through, they immediately invited us to stay at Hope Gardens so my mom could get back on her feet. For the first time in my life, I felt safe. The people here are really helping me get past all the terrible stuff I’ve had to go through. In fact, I know now that all the bad stuff only made me stronger and more determined to live a better life.
This Christmas, I hope we’re still here at Hope Gardens. I like seeing my mom, and my brother and sister, so happy. But I also have a lot of new friends here, and I want to spend Christmas with them, too. To me, that’s what makes Christmas so special — all the happiness and smiles on everyone’s faces.
This Christmas, I have just one wish: that my family can have a better life. Thanks to Hope Gardens, I think I’ll get my wish.
Please Take a moment to watch a video of Maurice’s Story Here.
URM’s 20th Annual Christmas Store
The holidays can be hard for families like Maurice’s, who are struggling and experiencing homelessness. But for 20 years, Union Rescue Mission’s Christmas Store has brought joy into their difficult lives — just when they needed it most.
This year, thousands of underprivileged children at Union Rescue Mission, Hope Gardens Family Center, and other agencies throughout the greater Los Angeles area will receive brand-new gifts because of the 20th annual Christmas Store.
On December 15-16, more than 700 moms and dads with little or no income will enjoy the dignity of being able to provide their children with gifts they select themselves (for free) and give to their children personally.
All year-round, Union Rescue Mission embraces people experiencing homelessness with the compassion of Christ and offers healing and hope to help them find their way home. And thanks to The Christmas Store — and generous friends like you — hundreds of families will find that new hope this holiday season.
For information about donating toys to The Christmas Store this year, please contact Chris Strode at (213) 673-4801.
The Most Precious Christmas Gift – Hope
The holidays are coming fast, a season of family, friends, joy, and celebration. But not for men, women, and children experiencing homelessness. Lonely, hurt, and worn down by life, they face a season that reminds them of everything they’ve lost — and they have little hope their lives will ever get better.
That’s why we go overboard this time of year, bringing our guests some measure of Christmas joy. We provide special meals. Churches come in and throw parties, complete with gifts. And our annual Christmas Store gives parents the chance to shop for their kids, and gives kids the chance to shop for their parents — free of charge.
But the most important thing we give our guests is not food, shelter, or parties — it’s hope. And isn’t that what the Christmas story is all about? Jesus came into the world and brought the promise of love, peace, a better day ahead, and eternal life.
Thank you for your compassionate support, because your gifts are giving hurting people the most precious gift of all this time of year — hope.
Blessings,
Andy Bales, CEO
URM Lunch Honors Veterans
Honoring the veterans of America’s Armed Forces today, Andy Bales, CEO of Union Rescue Mission, greeted many former veterans prior to a special lunch prepared and served by the Daily Grill Restaurant in the URM cafeteria in their honor.
With an enormous American flag draped across the wall, Andy extolled the virtue of honor and sacrifice, saying “…today more than ever we need to recognize those brothers and sisters who risk their lives in the service of our country, so today we honor them”. Volunteer Manager, Alex Cornejo, then asked each veteran to identify themselves and where they had served. It was a touching time for those listening as well as those sharing how they had served their country.
A delicious meal of Daily Grill’s famous meatloaf, red-skinned mashed potatoes, green salad, and mixed vegetables and, for dessert, peach cobbler was then served the vets in appreciation of their sacrifice and service to this country.
For more pictures of this event please Visit the Album Here.
Maurice – Stories from Skid Row
Please take a moment to view this month’s Story From Skid Row.
15-year-old Maurice dreams of being a pilot someday, but his dream seemed far away last Christmas when his family had no place to live. See how Maurice found a new home at Hope Gardens and how his dreams are taking flight.
13 Men in Cap and Gown – URM Graduation
On Sunday, November 6th, the Union Rescue Mission presented its traditional graduation ceremony for those men successfully completing its intensive one-year Christian Life Discipleship Program with its focus on “Life Transformation…from the inside, out”. Each of the men graduating participated and completed:
- 1,000 hours of Work Therapy
- 144 hours of Bible/Recovery Classes
- 50+ hours Biblical 12-Step Program
- 200 hours Education and Vocational Training at URM’s Bank of America Learning Center
- 200 hours of Physical Fitness classes
- 100+ hours of attendance in Servant Leadership and URM Family Devotions
- 52 weeks of Sunday Church Attendance
- 20 hours of Individual Counseling with the URM Chaplains
Held in URM’s Main Chapel, 13 men in caps and gowns entered the auditorium to ‘Pomp and Circumstance’ to be presented to their families and friends, as well as URM Staff and other program participants. Emotions ran high; families and relationships that had been broken and strained had been mended, in many cases addictions conquered and the atmosphere was tense with excitement and anticipation.
The assembled audience of guests, visitors and graduates heard from Mr. Scott Minerd, Chief Investment Officer, Guggenheim Partners, the Keynote Speaker for the ceremony. Hearts were warmed and touched by Scott Minerd’s recounting of the story behind the hymn, “Amazing Grace” at which point he shared that it was, indeed, God’s amazing grace, that had saved ‘…a wretch like me’. CLDP graduate Greg McNeal then followed with the words of appreciation from the graduating class, citing the enormous and deep impact URM’s chaplains had had on each man’s life, how every person at Union Rescue Mission, be they staff or guest alike, combined to transform lives with their dedication and attitude.
After each man had crossed the stage and received his certificate of completion, amidst applause and acclaim from everyone in attendance, Rev. Andy Bales, CEO of Union Rescue Mission addressed the assembled guests and graduates expressing his deep, heartfelt appreciation, gratitude and pride in the accomplishment of the men and announcing that URM was about to enter a new era in life transformation “…where job opportunities will be available to graduates of the CLDP…”.
For More pictures please Visit the Album Here
A big thank you to Melissa Lundie for these wonderful photos!
My Benefit Plan
When folks think of working at a Rescue Mission on Skid Row, they might first think of the heartbreak involved or the tough environment surrounding us on Skid Row, but I think about the amazing “recession proof benefits” that come with the job. It’s a long list but I think my top three are Life Transformation, Joy and Gratitude…benefits I enjoy each and every day. Let me share just a few examples of what I mean.
On Monday a graduate of our program that had been working/learning as an apprentice in our Development Department for a number of months walked into my office. He’d been hired full-time, and it was his first day. With tears in his eyes and a broad smile, he walked in with a bottle of Martinelli’s Sparkling Cider (non-alcoholic), and asked a co-worker and me to join him in a toast celebrating his first day as a URM staff member. How often do you get that reaction when you hire someone?
Another young man, a graduate of our program, and currently in our post graduate transition stage at URM, who is a straight A student, was hired as a part-time graphic artist. In addition to receiving a badge with his name, photo and the word STAFF on it (standard issue for all URM employees) he was provided with a cubicle in the Development Department to do his work in. Based on the huge smile, his sincere gratitude and genuine excitement over having a work space to make his own, you’d have thought he been given an executive office with an ocean view.
In chapel this week we received a double dose of Joy, Gratitude and Life Transformation! First of all we named one of our EVS guys, a custodian, as the employee of the month at URM. With that, Al received a standing ovation, his picture posted by the HR office, a free parking space next to our elevators, two $20 gift certificates to Subway, his name thrown into a raffle for a 1 week vacation at a nearby resort hotel, and lunch with me the CEO (which according to Al’s boss, is the punishment part of the awardJ). But what touched Al the most was the cheers he received from the men in our program, and the certificate that he received as the Employee of the Month. He carried it around as if it was an Academy Award proudly sharing it with his friends and colleagues.
After celebrating Al, we were blessed by hearing the testimonies of three men preparing for graduation from our Life Transformation Program. Each man shared a bit about what their life was like before coming to Union Rescue Mission, the journey they’ve been on for the last 12-18 months as a resident here at URM and most importantly what their life is like today. It was a solid hour of cheers, tears and inspiration!
It is the thankfulness, gratitude for the little things that we experience every day that makes this such a fulfilling place to work and be involved. And the best part is…you don’t actually have to be on staff to receive these benefits! Please join us for a graduation (we have one this Sunday, November 6th at 3 p.m.) schedule a tour or become a volunteer, to experience the joy that comes from seeing lives transformed every day.
Blessings,
Andy B.