Dear Friends,
It’s been a year since I was forced to write a frantic “Save Hope Gardens” letter. Much has happened since then and I want to personally thank you for your faithful, generous support of Union Rescue Mission and Hope Gardens Family Center! You are truly a blessing.
I’m writing today to give you an update on the life transforming work you make possible and ask you to remain steadfast in your commitment to help people experiencing homelessness.
With less than 30 days left in this fiscal year, we need your help to end strong! We must continue moving precious women and children from the dangers of Skid Row to the safety of Hope Gardens!
Just the other day I saw 17 year old Michelle, a beautiful young Italian girl staying at URM downtown. She had lost track of her mom, and connected with her by phone. I caught up with her just as she headed toward the door to walk two blocks through Skid Row to meet up with her mom and brother and sisters. I said, “Hold up, Michelle. Let me walk with you to make sure that you make it safely.” Michelle thanked me, but we desperately need to work together to deliver Michelle and other precious young ones here at URM to the safety of Hope Gardens!
We need to gather enough reserves, nearly $2 Million, to ensure that we will make it through the difficult summer months of July and August and into the early Fall and September, so that we can continue to step up to meet the unprecedented needs of precious people.
Despite nearly tripling the number of families housed, doubling the number of people housed, and doubling the number of meals served to our friends experiencing homelessness, we have decreased our expenses by nearly $3 Million from last year! The cost saving steps we have taken to date include:
- Consolidating our Hope Gardens and URM kitchens into one at URM
- Strengthening our Volunteer Office and Volunteer experience
- Renegotiating all contracts down by 10%
- Shrinking our IT department and adding to our Life Transformation Programs
- Implementing the Gateway program which has provided high expectations and allowed our guests to participate and invest in their own recovery.
- We are also planning to implement a much stronger job preparedness and job finding component to our program for men and women.
These expense saving measures and our focus on Life Transformation have all of URM excited about our future, but we need your continued support!
Would you please today consider a special fiscal year end gift today to help us rescue more moms and kids from Skid Row and help secure the future of Union Rescue Mission and our Hope Gardens Family Center?
Your co-worker in Christ,
Andy Bales
I appreciate the work that union rescue mission does and i love being a part of it,my name is tameara willis i am 23 and was homeless as a teen i volunteer at union rescue serving dinner and when i saw the video i saw myself in Michelle I’m a college student learning business to open my own shelter and i have created a group of volunteers and fundraiser’s and together we will continue to volunteer and donate to union as you continue in your good works.