Each night, an average of 145 kids call Union Rescue Mission and Hope Gardens Family Center home. And thanks to help from friends like you, we have rescued over 1,800 precious children from living on the streets of Skid Row in the last 2 years. Kiera is one of these adorable children. We hope you will take a moment to watch her tell the Christmas Story in her own words!
No one deserves to suffer the devastation of homelessness, especially during the holidays. Thank you for your continued support in helping us serve each and every person who comes to our doors.
Aura and Albert Guzman never expected to find themselves experiencing homelessness. They had a wonderful family and good jobs. But as a family of four with a baby on the way, the economic downturn that caused them both to lose their jobs was more than devastating – it was life threatening.
Their savings didn’t last long and soon they ran out of options. Thankfully, they found Union Rescue Mission where they were able to stay as long as they needed to get back on their feet – together, as a family.
We hope you will take a moment to watch this video to see how lives have been renewed. And please consider giving to Union Rescue Mission to help families like the Guzman’s find their way home this Thanksgiving season.
It breaks my heart every day to see so many hurting people living on the streets of Skid Row. But I just can’t help but fall in love with them! To reach out and build trust, we provide emergency services, such as meals, shelter, and health care, in hope that they will give life a second try and consider joining one of our Life Transformation Programs.
Please take a moment to meet Joe, who has been living on the streets for almost 40 years. Each and every day we have the opportunity to meet people just like him coming in for a meal, a shower, or maybe just a chance to relax in our courtyard. It is thanks to the support of generous people like you that we can reach out to our neighbors on Skid Row, encouraging them with kindness and God’s love to rebuild their lives.
We have experienced both celebration and disappointment at URM this past month. Although we have many things to be thankful for, we are also facing the worst financial shortfall I’ve seen in decades. As you may have heard already, unless we raise $2.8 million by June 30th, we will have to close Hope Gardens Family Center.
Please take a moment to watch my quick update and please consider doing at least one of the following:
1) Donate online
2) Text “URM” at 85944 to donate $10 via your cell phone—reply “yes” when prompted
4) Share this message on Facebook, Twitter, and in blogs
We need your help now more than ever.
Blessings,
Andy Bales, CEO
A one-time donation of $10 will be added to your mobile phone bill or deducted from your prepaid balance. Standard messaging rates and additional fees may apply. All charges are billed by and payable to your mobile service provider. Service is available on most carriers. Donations are collected by the Mobile Giving Foundation and subject to the terms found at www.hmgf.org/t. You can unsubscribe at any time by texting STOP to 85944.
Raymond is among the many people who have successfully come through one of Union Rescue Mission’s Life Transformation Program, and decided to work in the Skid Row community to make a positive difference. We hope you will take a moment to watch this video of Raymond’s story and learn about the role of SROs (Single Room Occupancies) in our fight to cut the number of people living on the streets of Skid Row by 90%.
Please consider donating a gift today as we take to the streets with outreach and connect people in need to services and housing.
People are often surprised to learn that many of the guests who stay with us each night do not have substance-abuse or addiction problems. The fact is, a majority of the women we meet are escaping some form of domestic violence. This is the case of Robyn and her 9-year old daughter Le Dai; after suffering in an abusive relationship for nearly 11 years, Robyn is now hopeful about her future and thankful for each day she is alive.
We hope you will take a moment to check out Robyn’s amazing story of determination, strength and hope – the latest release in the ground breaking series Stories From Skid Row.
Each year, we are part of a program that allows us to open extra shelters during the winter months. This year, we are running Winter Shelters in Downtown LA, Glendale, Culver City, and West LA. Not only do these shelters provide a warm bed for someone who might otherwise be sleeping out in the cold and rain, but they are crucial in helping guests become aware of Union Rescue Mission and all the services we provide!
Please take a moment to hear from Sandra, the Glendale Winter Shelter Program Manager, on how great an impact the Winter Shelters are having on hundreds of people, some of them experiencing homelessness for the first time. Sadly, these shelters are only open from December through March of each year, which leaves many people asking “Where can I go?” in less than a month. We would love to see the Winter Shelters open year round, but are unable to do this on our own.
There are two ways you can help make a difference; first, you can advocate for the Winter Shelters by contacting the Governors office and local city officials to ask that National Guard Armories be opened year round, and that the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority be more substantially funded. This way, the shelters in place can remain open wirh sufficient case management and support services to assist people experiencing homelessness in finding more permanent solutions. Secondly, you can donate to help support the costs of keeping these shelters running.
Please take a moment and hear from Sandra about our Winter Shelters
In 2007, we opened our Hope Gardens Family Center to get women with children and senior ladies off the streets of Skid Row. At Hope Gardens, mothers are able to learn life skills, earn their GED’s or enroll in college courses, and learn money management skills so they are prepared to move out on their own, and children are able to just be kids without the dangers and pressures of street life. Kasha is one of 34 moms at Hope Gardens that needed a place to put her life back together and had the courage to put the past behind and start a new life. After struggling with a meth addiction for 17 years, she was able to get her sons back and keep a job; she is now hopeful for the future and looks forward to living in her own apartment with her boys!
