Month: March 2011

Save The Date: URM’s 4th Annual Golf Classic


Help transform the life of someone experiencing homelessness. Join us for Union Rescue Mission’s 4th Spring Golf Classic. From fun contests, TaylorMade prizes, good food and great people, the day promises to be both fun and rewarding. Limited to 144 golfers, the scramble format tournament takes place on Monday, May 9th, 2011 at the prestigious Trump National Golf Club. And regardless of your score, you’ll head home knowing you’ve helped to bring hope and healing to people who desperately need it by providing resources for a worthy organization making a difference in our city. Not a golfer? No worries, there are a number of ways that you can be a part of this special day and make a lasting difference in some ones life.

THE MOST SPECTACULAR GOLF COURSE IN AMERICA!
Trump National Golf Course is perched high above the jagged California cliffs taking advantage of one of the  most incredible views in the world from every hole. Noted as the most expensive golf course ever built, over $250 million dollars has been spent to ensure its prominence. Gleaming white sand lines the walls of the massive bunkers, expansive lakes protect tucked away greens, and magnificent waterfalls cascade down at Trump National. The Donald J. Trump Signature Design tempts golfers to take risks and rewards well-placed shots. The layout challenges experienced golfers and novices to the best of their abilities. Trump National truly stands as a testament to the greatness of golf.

CONTACT INFO: For more information please call Shaeideh Prince (213) 347-6352 or Chris Strode (213) 673-4801. Space is limited, so please return the completed registration form by April 15, 2011

Food Truck Wars Support URM

Thanks to your votes last month Union Rescue Mission was chosen as one of two organizations to be supported by Food Truck Wars. Along with Paws LA, URM won the #1 spot to receive proceeds from the food trucks. The food truck event took place on Friday and was the 1st Annual Food Truck Wars held by Dish Dash L.A.

Our URM Volunteer Coordinator Alex at the welcome table to the event telling people about Union Rescue Mission and the cause to help people experiencing homelessness in Los Angeles.

The USC Fraternity/ Sorority Row was lined with 10 unique Food Trucks, creating dishes of a wide variety from Spanish tapas to Dim Sum dumplings. Students and Food Trucks enthusiasts lined up to taste and experience the gourmet samplings offered.

Thank you to all of those who worked and organized Food Truck Wars and those who came out to the event to support  Union Rescue Mission.

Special thanks to every Food Truck present for their delicious cuisine and for being part of Dish Dash L.A. and supporting URM!

 

Dish Dash LA Food Wars to Benefit URM

This Friday, from 3:00pm-9:00pm, you can come out to enjoy some delicious food AND benefit URM at the same time! Dish Dash L.A. will be holding it’s 1st Annual Food Truck Wars, and we are one of the lucky beneficiaries (there was a voting contest on their site a few weeks ago, and we got the #1 spot!)

Using both sides of the street, there will be 10 food trucks battling it out to sell their tastiest cuisines to customers. On one side, a portion of the profits will benefit URM to help people experiencing homelessness, and the other side will benefit Paws LA. (So, if you want to help benefit URM be sure to know which side is which!)

A few of the Food Trucks that will be participating include Chunk in Chip, Dim Sum, Frysmith, Papa’s Tapas and White Rabbit.

We are so excited to be a part of this event! Please come out for a fun and tasty evening and to benefit some good causes. Dish Dash is a USC student guide to Downtown. For more information visit http://www.dishdashla.com/foodtruckwars.php.

Biola University Students Experience URM

Biola University’s Torrey Honors Institute visited Union Rescue Mission on Saturday as part of their Urban Plunge experience weekend. Students and professors took part in this Los Angeles city experience, making Skid Row and Union Rescue Mission part of their focus.

 

Urban Plunge is a weekend event organized to show students Los Angeles as a greater urban city and how they can become a part of its culture. The group of 16 began their day at URM listening to testimonials of five graduates of the Discipleship Program. Listening to the stories of these life transformations opened the eyes of students.

After a day of walking in LA, they returned to URM to set up EDARs, our mobile shelter beds, to sleep in for the night. Experiencing the cold and some rainfall during the night, they were able to feel what it may be like to experience homelessness in Los Angeles.

 

They woke up at 4:45 the next morning to serve breakfast in the kitchen.

Kelly Roberts, an Urban Plunge coordinator, says that spending time at the mission was a huge part of their weekend. “Skid Row can be a heavy experience for some people for the first time,” she said. But she was thankful to have seen and been part of how URM operates and serves LA on a daily basis.

Resonate Church Spends Week With URM

This past week, Union Rescue Mission welcomed a group of 19 college students to the mission. Resonate Church, from Pullman, Washington and Moscow, Idaho, has for the past few years offered a Spring Break missions trip to Los Angeles, bringing them to URM.

Staying in tents on the roof, this group devoted themselves to serving the mission in any way they could. The students worked daily, serving breakfast and lunch in the kitchen, beginning at 6 a.m. They also helped in our recent renovation of the roof, putting together new lawn furniture.

 

During their breaks, the group volunteered their time in the Women’s Day Room. Laura Slatemaker proposed the idea of offering manicures to the women. The women loved it, lining up excitedly for their chance to receive a manicure. These students were able to serve the women for two afternoons and gave every woman have a chance to get their nails done.

 

Thank you to Chad McMillan and Rachel Tweet and their group for all their work and joy they brought to the women and kitchen of URM last week.

“Hope & Soap” Project Blesses Winter Shelter Guests

When Pastor Kelly DuPree of Faith Community Church in West Covina was praying about how to serve people staying in their local winter shelter, he came up with a project called “Hope and Soap”. Basically, the plan was to assemble hygiene kits and hand them out to people on the last day of the shelter. Not only would they hand out the products, but also offer “hope” by providing rides to URM and a place in one of our life transformation programs.

Volunteers from Faith Community helped to pass out over 140 kits, and met 6 people that wanted a ride to come down to URM! Wanting to do more than just provide a “hand-out”, Faith Community partnered with us in a way to do just that – they showed people love and offered them an opportunity to change their lives. Thanks so much to all the great people from Faith Community in West Covina who helped to bless many people this week at the closing of the Winter Shelters.

If your church or organization is interested in partnering with us in any way, please contact Jeremiah Johnson, our Church Relation Representatives at 213-248-1043 or jjohnson@urm.org.

Men’s Program Celebrates March 2011 Graduation

 

Men’s Christian Life Discipleship Program

Graduation

Sunday, March 6th 2011

 

Graduation is something we celebrate three times a year with the men who have successfully completed the Life Transformation Program at Union Rescue Mission. Every one of these men have fulfilled the many requirements of the year long intensive course.

The program aims to transform lives, through the teaching of life skills, stepping through recovery, and instilling the knowledge and love of God. Men complete hours of Bible study, physical exercise, counseling, anger management, and other training. Graduation is the time where transformed men stand before everyone with the realization of their self-worth and a great sense of security through a new trust in God.

As part of the commencement ceremony, Dr. Robert Flores, President of LIFE Pacific College, shared a message as the graduation keynote speaker. His message focused on God’s gift of second chances and challenged the graduates to above all else, remain focused on God.

Twenty-three men recieved diplomas and were given celebration for all their progress and dedication. Chaplains, guests, and program directors prayed over our men as they will now continue into new lives as newly empowered men for God.

Union Rescue Mission celebrates with every new graduate and is thankful to everyone who continues to make this program possible!

March 2011 Graduates

Jeffery Hasley

Issac Lyons

Maurice McClelland

Blair McMurray

John Bales

Yuri Blanco

Anthony Garner

Luster Kelsey

Kenneth Lesley

Curtis Rogers

Theodore Sawicki

Luis Garcia

Santiago Guerrero

Edgardo Ortega

Oscar Palacios

Daniel Sheppard

Jon Chapelle

Leo Galloway

Joey Hernandez

Charles Lofthouse

Steven Martinez

Lauriano Santos

Walter Taylor III

Glendale Shelter Stories: Meet Marlyn

Marlyn has been coming to winter shelters for three years and is grateful to be back at the Glendale winter shelter this year. He is currently trying to rent rooms as a landlord, but has found it a very unstable and a financially unfruitful endeavor.

Marlyn has struggled with homelessness for much of his life. He is very grateful for the help he receives at the Glendale Winter Shelter; the generous provision has given him a few months to save his money in an effort to escape the vicious cycle of homelessness.

After the shelter closes, Marlyn says he will most likely spend his nights riding the bus back and forth, or try to get some rest in a park, sleeping on the grass.

The Glendale winter shelter is one of four shelters providing local assistance for people experiencing homelessness. Please visit our website for more information or donate to make a difference in the lives of people experiencing homelessness.

Glendale Shelter Stories: Meet Jazmine and Aundria

Sisters Jazmine and Aundria are two returning volunteers of the Glendale winter shelter. They first heard about the winter shelter efforts though their local church and came the next day to offer their help. Having gone through tough situations of their own, they both know what it feels like to need help. This connection with the guests gives the sisters a reason to keep coming back and doing as much as they can for the shelter.

“I like to help people and this is the perfect place to help people out a lot,” says Jazmine. In addition to preparing and serving dinner, they gathered unused clothes from home and donated them to the guests. The donated clothes, as they pointed out, can now be seen being worn by guests all around the room.

Over the past months they have connected with the guests and become close with many. “When they see us come in to serve, they all get really happy,” said Aundria.

Check back tomorrow to hear of another story from the Glendale winter shelter. If you are interested in being a volunteer, like Jazmine and Aundria, click here for more information.

Testimonies of Program Graduates

This upcoming Sunday we will be celebrating with the graduating men of our Life Transformation Program. Three times a year Union Rescue Mission hosts a graduation ceremony for those  who have completed the year-long program of transformation and recovery.

During chapel on Tuesday a few of our soon-to-be graduates stood before their fellow program members and gave their testimonies.

We are looking forward to standing alongside our graduates this weekend as they receive their program diplomas!