This is the view just outside my office window on Skid Row in Los Angeles…
Heroin is being sold and used. The same with crack cocaine. And a new, legal “spice” is being smoked – causing violence everywhere on the street every day.
I’ve never seen so many precious people on Skid Row nor seen this level of mental illness, violence, and desperation. We need to take some bold steps.
Last year, your year-end gift helped us strengthen our jobs program & just last month 7 graduates were hired through Toyota by DTZ & affiliated companies!
We need your help again, and your partnership! Union Rescue Mission will always be committed to serving the precious people on Skid Row. In addition, we want to add services in outlying areas to decentralize Skid Row and help people who have worked hard to get clean and sober stay that way. If we can raise sufficient funds to close out our fiscal year ending June 30th, we will have the resources and momentum to begin this strategic shift. Every gift given by June 30th will be matched/doubled!
We hope to;
- Build partnerships with several key churches that can not only be involved with guests at URM, but ultimately address homelessness in their local neighborhood with our help and support.
- Begin an off-site(away from Skid Row) recovery program for single women
- Investigate and implement an offsite men’s recovery program
- Investigate long term restorative housing at Hope Gardens for the sake of our precious children experiencing homelessness
- Launch social enterprises and Master lease apartments in outlying areas adjacent to jobs for our men and women graduates
- Ascertain the neighborhoods sending people to Skid Row and partner with agencies to strengthen families and build resilient children to reverse this flow into Skid Row.
- Along with this decentralized focus, we hope to strengthen our sustainability by investing in our staff with a greater focus on nurturing our future URM leaders, paying down debt, and building reserves
Our everyday life saving and life changing work and these bold initiatives will only be possible with your continued partnership.
Thank you!
P.S. Every gift you give until June 30th will be matched/doubled by other generous friends. We deeply appreciate and value your partnership.
Hello, thanks for taking my son in this past week. His name is Kevin Shaw, he is 28 years old. I’m not sure what happened but I believe he’s left the mission. Kevin’s father and I have been through hell and high water trying to help him. Our wish was that he stay at the mission and go through the program that was being offered to him. We pray all the time that Kevin will stop running and settle down and do something productive. I think we have used up all our prayers. Thanks again for your help. I know if he gave the mission a chance it would change his life. God bless, Sue.
By Cheryl Stabler June 30, 2010 – 5:22 pmGlad that this valuable rerocsue is still open to the women and children on skid row. Keep the tweets and Facebook discussion going so we can continue to help those in our community who need a helping hand .away from the drugs and crime of skid row.