Can one man make a difference? When Greg stopped making excuses, miracles happened.

The city of Los Angeles is suffering under the weight of an unprecedented crisis of homelessness. Almost 58,000 men, women, and children have no place to call home, and the vast majority of them are now living in cars, abandoned buildings, tents on sidewalks in parks, and worse.

Many people in Los Angeles think the problem is bad, that there’s nothing they can do. Greg’s life proves them wrong. But he had to stop making excuses before he saw the miracles.

“I used to laugh and tell people that ministers have the baddest kids. I know, because I was one of them,” Greg says. “My dad was a pastor. But when I was 12, I went in another direction. I chose to run with the wrong crowd, chasing after alcohol, drugs, and the streets.”

By the age of 36, Greg lost everything — his faith, job, savings, family, and self-respect. He needed help. So in 1987 he came to Union Rescue Mission, where he refound his faith in God, and God gave him his life back.

“When I graduated, they asked me to work here and help other guys. I had all kinds of excuses for why I didn’t want to do that. I just wanted a normal life, to get a real job, and settle down. But God had other plans. I finally ran out of excuses and started working here. I’ve been a case manager, a counselor, a mentor — I’ve been encouraging guys to get in the program, and stay in the program, for almost 30 years. I suppose I’ve probably helped over a thousand guys get clean and sober here. All because I stopped making excuses and let God use me.”

When Greg looks out at the streets today, he sees a much bigger tragedy than he recalls when he was out there. It’s not just men anymore — it’s mostly women and kids who are suffering. It’s so bad, I know folks think change isn’t possible.

“But I just tell people, ‘Don’t look at the number. Just look at me, I got my life back because someone else gave me that chance. And because I got that chance, there are thousands of other guys getting sober, getting jobs, getting their families back.

“I’m so grateful to those Union Rescue Mission donors who saved my life. They could have made excuses and not got involved. But they didn’t. Now there are thousands of little miracles, just like me, walking all around this city.”

The Los Angeles Times calls it a “national disgrace.” Tens of thousands of struggling men, women, and children living in garages, cars, tents, parks, cardboard boxes, and on sidewalks. Many parts of Los Angeles resemble a third world country in one of the wealthiest cities in the world.

These precious souls desperately need hope and a helping hand — in fact, they need YOU. And now, a generous friend of Union Rescue Mission has offered to match every gift we receive — up to $500,000!

That means any gift you send will be DOUBLED — automatically — to provide twice as much help for hurting men, women, and children at Union Rescue Mission, and to remind them that someone really does care. This extraordinary opportunity is only available for a short time — the deadline is June 30!