When Daisy first came to Hope Gardens she called herself a “hot mess.”
Homelessness Devastates Mothers and Children
You may have heard about planned giving but are not familiar with the benefits.
Encourage a Mom this Mother’s Day!
Notes from Andy
Mirror, Mirror
When Daisy first came to Hope Gardens with her infant son Angel, she called herself a “hot mess.”
“When I looked in a mirror, all I could see was someone fat and ugly. All I could see was a weak, failed mom who couldn’t stand on her own two feet. All I could see was someone who deserved all the abuse I ever experienced.” Daisy needed a new mirror.
A Mother’s Miraculous Turnaround—
Thanks to You!
Daisy grew up with a distant and unaffectionate mother. “All my life, I wanted her to say, ‘I love you,’” she says.
“I needed her to hug me. I needed her to say, ‘You’re beautiful and precious’—but she never could. So I started looking elsewhere for the affection I needed.”
Looking for Love
At 15, Daisy started hanging out with the wrong crowd, partying, and looking for love. Instead, all she found was verbal, emotional, and physical abuse from every man she committed her life to.
“I remember calling my mom once, after someone slapped me. She just told me to suck it up,” Daisy recalls. “So every time, that’s what I did. I kept making all these bad choices because I desperately needed attention. Any kind of attention. I always stayed because the fear of being alone was bigger than my fear of being beaten.”
By the age of 32, Daisy had five children, though she had lost her four oldest to foster care because of a meth addiction. “I brought all my kids into the whole mess of my life. They meant everything to me,” she says. “So I had to do something. I was determined to do whatever it took to get them back. First, though, I had to deal with me.”
A New Mirror
After Daisy got clean and sober, she went to Hope Gardens in November 2016. Over the next three years, Hope Gardens gave her the stability to rebuild her life. Through classes, counseling, and support, she gained new confidence. Working two jobs, Daisy saved money, bought a car, started going to school—and she got her children back. What she really found, however, was a new mirror.
“This is where I first experienced the unconditional love of Jesus,” she says. “He used all the people at Hope Gardens to tell me what I’d never heard: ‘We love you. You’re beautiful. You’re worth it.’ When I looked in a mirror, it’s like Jesus said, ‘Daisy, this is who you really are.’”
Today, Daisy is working as a drug and alcohol counselor to help other women like her, and she’s also getting ready to move into her own home with her children.
“As a donor, you made that possible for me. I’ve been a taker all my life. You showed me what it means to be a giver. Someday, I hope I’m just like you. Thank you!”
Please give today to help more people like Daisy see themselves as Jesus Christ sees them!
Important COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Update
With your help, Union Rescue Mission is taking urgent steps to prevent the spread of COVID-19 (coronavirus) among Angelenos devastated by homelessness.
We have made significant investments in medical supplies and safety precautions and are following guidelines from the LA County Department of Health Services. We are doing everything in our power to prevent the transmission of the virus and to keep people safe.
“People devastated by homelessness are among the most at risk for coronavirus,” explains Andy Bales, CEO of Union Rescue Mission. “Basic hygiene, like washing hands, is extremely difficult for them. We are eternally grateful to our friends who donate and help us reach out with love to those who are most vulnerable, especially children and the elderly. Additional gifts now will help us continue fighting this virus.”
Homelessness Devastates
Mothers and Children
Mothers with children are the fastest-growing segment of the homeless population.
On any given night, more than 56,000 families—mostly mothers and children—experience homelessness.
Most common reasons for mothers and children to experience homelessness are:
- Lack of affordable housing
- A lost job or work hours
- Conflict with family members they are staying with
- An unanticipated bill
- Violence within the home
Mothers devastated by homelessness often face:
- Unmet medical needs
- High rates of emotional, sexual, and physical abuse
- Mental health problems
- Substance abuse disorders
Your Support Heals and Reunites Families
URM’s Family Program helps single mothers gain the skills, support, and necessary resources to recover from past trauma—while planning for the future and preparing to maintain permanent housing. They receive the following support and services:
- Onsite therapy
- Life skills education
- Financial and job training
- Educational and social support
- Childcare
- Three daily meals
- Access to medical and dental care
- Transportation
With your help, URM will NEVER turn away a woman or child who needs our help.
Your gift helps more mothers and children heal from the past and move toward a bright future together!
Stories from Skid Row
“I think we all tend to, in hard times, blame God,” says Rosalind. While she could have remained resentful, she chose not to. Watch how this hurting mom found the courage to accept God’s love and forgiveness!
Please help now. Your gift will make a real difference in the lives of more men, women, children, and families.
Planned Giving
You may have heard about planned giving but are not familiar with the benefits.
A planned gift is really quite easy—it involves some planning that helps both you and our mission. The planning tools on our website can help you create a legacy in your will or trust, increase lifetime income for you and your spouse, and pass on property to your heirs through a charitable plan. To learn more about the benefits of making a planned gift, please mail, call, or visit our website.
Thank you for making miracles possible!
Enjoy the benefits of making a planned gift that helps those devastated by homelessness.
Encourage a Mom this Mother's Day!
Mother’s Day is often a painful time for moms devastated by homelessness. Many are separated from their children and are filled with regret and sorrow. Most are overwhelmed with grief over what their children are experiencing.
These precious moms need to know they’re not alone. They need to know someone cares—they need to know that you care. But you can encourage a hurting mom at Union Rescue Mission or Hope Gardens Family Center this Mother’s Day!
Give Hope to a Hurting Mother—and Those Who Love Her
Please give a special gift to help another struggling mother like Daisy. Your gift of $25, $35, $100, or more will help provide a mom, her children, and others experiencing homelessness with safe shelter and nutritious meals, and the long-term care they need to restore their broken lives and get them back on their feet for good.
Send Your Generous Gift Today. Thank you!
For more information and to put your gift to work right away, go to urm.org/2020-april-newsletter.
Encourage a mom who’s running low on hope this Mother’s Day. Please give generously!
Honoring Heroic Moms
All mothers are heroes. It’s no less true for mothers devastated by homelessness, especially moms like Daisy. These are moms who will do whatever it takes to love and provide for their kids.
Yet Mother’s Day is often a difficult day for women living with us, a painful reminder of past failures. So that’s why, every Mother’s Day, we go all out to celebrate the special moms living at Union Rescue Mission and Hope Gardens. We spoil them with candy, gift baskets, and gift cards. Sometimes we provide special makeovers, silk pajamas, and a giant party. We even serve up a fancy lunch in our chapel!
It takes extraordinary strength and courage for mothers to bring their children to Union Rescue Mission and give life another try—and it doesn’t take a lot to help them succeed. Every day, your generous support gives these heroic moms the encouragement, training, and help they need to give their children a solid foundation. That makes you a hero, too.
Please take a moment to give a gift and encourage one of our moms this Mother’s Day. God bless you!
Blessings,
