The Latest

URM Men Win Championship Game!

Congratulations to the URM Men’s Basketball Team on being the Skid Row Basketball Champions for the 2009-2010 season!

“Every member of the team played in the championship game,” says Coach Carl Williams.  “Our team went through early growing pains plus we lost two key players as well.  We never stopped praying and trying to win every game.  My main goal was to play individuals who commit to the philosophy of team.  I always tell my team, “Never give up and never quit.” Even my young sons Zachary and Izayah know that quote very well.  In life, things may start out rough but God has a plan for your life. The plan can only materialize if you never give up and never quit.”

Championship Game 

The championship game was held Wednesday, January 20th at 7:00pm here at Union Rescue Mission’s gym.  Although the opposing “Skid Row Street Ballers” played a tough game, our guys outplayed them for a 56 -44 win!

 

Over $1Million Worth of Supplies Sent to Haiti

Union Rescue Mission (URM) and our international partner, Giving Children Hope recently sent much needed medicines to Haiti which will be distributed by UM PROJECT MEDISHARE and the 1st & ALTON GROUP.  The shipment has been received and has a US value of $1,156,362, but it is priceless in Haiti due to the poor living conditions that include contaminated drinking water, insufficient food, exposure to the weather and the presence of many dead and injured.

Included in this shipment were anti-diarrheal, anti-bacterial, anti-parasitic, rehydration medications and vitamins that have been sent in time to save Haitian lives.  These medicines are being used to help prevent another disaster of illnesses that often follows a disaster such as the earthquake in Haiti which has already claimed many lives.

If you wish to make a donation to offset the expense of sending this shipment to Haiti, please click on our donate link below and make a donation to help Union Rescue Mission recover its expenses.  God moved us to act first and ask for your help after we shipped the aid because we recognized the tremendous need, and because we have faith that you will provide financial help for this cause in the name of Jesus.

 

Begin The Year With a Story of Hope

<

In 2007, we opened our Hope Gardens Family Center to get women with children and senior ladies off the streets of Skid Row.  At Hope Gardens, mothers are able to learn life skills, earn their GED’s or enroll in college courses, and learn money management skills so they are prepared to move out on their own, and children are able to just be kids without the dangers and pressures of street life.  Kasha is one of 34 moms at Hope Gardens that needed a place to put her life back together and had the courage to put the past behind and start a new life.  After struggling with a meth addiction for 17 years, she was able to get her sons back and keep a job; she is now hopeful for the future and looks forward to living in her own apartment with her boys!

Blessings,

 

 

URM Men’s Basketball Team Beats Out Blue Byou

Last Wednesday night’s basketball game was one for the record books. Union Rescue Mission’s Men’s Basketball team played an exciting game against last year’s championship team, Blue Byou. Our team demonstrated heart and a never give up attitude to pull of the win! 

Playoff Game 1-13-10 

Both teams played their best game of the season, with the lead changing constantly. We were down by six points with just two minutes remaining in the game. Then, we made two 3-point baskets to tie the game. With the ball in Blue Byou’s hands, everyone was on the edge of their seats! In the end, our free-throws and man-on-man defense proved to be the difference in the game. The final score was URM: 51 and Blue Byou: 50.

This Wednesday, January 20th, we will play in the Championship Game against the “Street Ballers” at 7:00pm. Everyone is welcome to come out and show your support!

URM Men's BBall Team 

The team is lead by Coach Carl Williams and the team members include:

G – Joseph Baptist
G – DeAndre Brinson
F – Damian Harrison
C – Dee Harrison
F – Phillip Craig
G – Daniel Zeron
G – Chris Gray
G – Navar McCullen
F – Brian Fish
G – Sergio Mirtzine
F – Troy Hall
F – Americus Jones

Thanks to Biola University Photography students Lindsey Minerva and Emily Agenjo for the great pictures

PHC 2009 Serves Over 700 Guests!

 

Most days the Union Rescue Mission is bustling with people and activities – people coming and going all day long looking for supportive services.  But on December 10th, 2009, the ground floor of the Union Rescue Mission (URM) was even more active than usual – full to the brim with guests, volunteers, local partner agencies, helpful staff, and a whole host of new Skid Row neighbors experiencing homelessness.

On this day, URM joined with many of our city, county and private partners to host the Project Homeless Connect Day (PHC) 2009, in alliance with the National Initiative coordinated by the White House Interagency Council on Homelessness.  The purpose of this LA County sponsored event was to bring together service providers, agencies and other local organizations to provide housing, hospitality, information, health-care and many other invaluable services for friends in the midst of homelessness.   PHC is not only a service fair, or an information and referral event, it is an innovative one-day *consumer-focused* one-stop.

Our downtown site hosted a large-scale collaboration of over 40 downtown Los Angeles area service providers, service organizations, businesses and residents to provide area homeless and working poor access to the assistance they need to become self-sufficient and to ultimately obtain affordable housing. At our downtown site, we served over 700 guests, with the help of over 280 volunteers and community friends.  Services included legal aid, service referrals, medical attention, flu shots, mammograms, birth certificates, ID cards and transitional housing.  Practical needs were met as well by providing hygiene kits, warm blankets, bus tokens, free books, and a hot lunch, all in a fun atmosphere with plenty of musical entertainment throughout the day.

Project Homeless Connect 2009 was a great success – uniting our downtown community, strengthening our partnerships, sharing our gifts and providing much-needed services to bless those who we have the privilege of serving.  Special thanks to everyone who pitched in and served so joyfully that day. We couldn’t have done it without you!

December Statistics Update

Here is part of our  Statistics Report for December 2009 so you can see how many lives we touch with the help of our wonderful volunteers, donors, and sponsors!

Key December 2009 Stats (Compared to December 2008)

                    *URM= Union Rescue Mission

                    *WSP= Winter Shelters – Downtown, Glendale, Culver City, and West LA

                    *HG= Hope Gardens Family Center

Meals Served:

URM:  92,369    avg/day: 2980   6% increase

WSP:   39,548   avg/day: 1276    (no 2008 data)

HG:    10,800     avg/day: 348      (same)

Total: 134,699   avg/day: 4345

 

Nights of Shelter: 

URM:  31,728   avg: 1023    43% increase

WSP:    15,397    avg: 497     (no 2008 data)

HG:      3,866    avg: 125     15% increase

Total: 50,991    avg: 1645  

                    Children:

                    URM:   2767    avg: 89     33% increase

                    HG:     2229     avg: 72     28% increase

                    Total:  4996     avg: 161   31% increase

                  

                    Project Restart Families:      avg: 15 families/night    

                    *family defined as mother-father-child(ren) or single father-child(ren)

 

 Quick Facts:

  • It’s nearly impossible for whole families and single dads with children who are experiencing homelessness to find a place where they can stay together and receive the help they need. 

            We are caring for 15 of these precious families every night – most are experiencing homelessness for the very first time due to the economy.  

            $128.71 will help provide food, shelter and care for a family of 4 for one day.

            $900.97 will help us care for one of our families for an entire week.

  • Many who become trapped in homelessness have significant barriers to overcome before they can return to a productive life of their own. The longer one remains homeless, the greater the barriers become.

            Union Rescue Mission has life transformation programs to serve the needs of men and women and families who want to break the cycle of homelessness for good. 

            $56.58 will help provide a day of care for one of the brave men or women who have entered our life transformation programs.

            $396.06 will help provide a week of food, shelter and the training and counseling necessary for a successful and lasting transformation. 

 

  • From December 1st through the end of March, Union Rescue Mission provides shelter for an additional 600 people each night through our Winter Shelter Program.  For some, the Winter Shelters provide the temporary assistance they need to get back on their feet and secure permanent housing of their own.  For others, coming in out of the cold and interacting with one of the caring members of our staff is the first step in their journey towards life transformation.

            $100.00 will help provide emergency services for a family of 3.

            $ 257.60 will help provide an entire week of meals (dinner and a sack lunch for the next day) for 10 winter shelter guests. 

Hiltons Host Shopping Event to Benefit URM

On Thursday, December 17th, Paris and Nicky Hilton hosted a shopping event at House of Petro Zillia.  The owner and head designer, Nony, said the Hilton sisters asked that the event benefit an organization of their choice – and they chose Union Rescue Mission!  

 

paris1  

The shopping extravaganza was from 7:00pm to 10:00pm, and there was a great turn out!  Thanks to Paris & Nicky, as well as House of Petro Zillia, for being such great supporters of URM!

 

paris2  

paris4 

Great News Worth Passing On!

What great news!

Thanks to a generous friend of Union Rescue Mission we are closer than ever to raising the $500,000 we need to fully fund our budget in the final days of what has been the most challenging year in our history. Each gift we receive between now and midnight on December 31st will be matched up to $200K! Please make your year end donation today and share this opportunity (Click the buttons below to post to facebook or Twitter) to double the impact of a year end gift with others.

Blessings on you,

2,260 Subway Sandwiches Served at URM!

Thanks to 100 volunteers from Subway restaurants, URM residents enjoyed delicious Subway sandwiches for lunch on Tuesday, December 22nd.

subway serving 2009 1

Subway restaurants have been great supporters of URM.  This year they also helped raise about $14,000 to help with our Christmas Store!

subway serving 2009 4 

Some of the leaders from Subway even joined us in our tradition of ‘ringing the bell’ to celebrate donations received; they have been strongly supporting Union Rescue Mission for 14 years! 

Thank you, Subway, for all you do- you are greatly appreciated!

subway serving 2009 3 

Subway to serve 2,000 Sandwiches

MEDIA ALERT – For Immediate Release

CONTACT: Kitty Davis-Walker

(213) 673-4585 or (213) 507-5562

Email: kwalker@urm.org


SUBWAY RESTAURANTS JOIN THE UNION RESCUE MISSION WITH

TOY DRIVE FUND-RAISER AND HOLIDAY MEAL SERVICE FOR THE HOMELESS

LOS ANGELES CALIF. – —– On Tuesday, December 22, 2009 Volunteers from Los Angeles-area SUBWAY restaurants will once again work with the Union Rescue Mission in down town Los Angeles to serve a meal and help brighten the lives of men, women and children experiencing homelessness during the Holiday Season.

For the 13th consecutive year, Subway volunteers will prepare and serve ham and turkey sandwiches for the homeless on skid row in Los Angeles. The annual Subway volunteer effort serves approximately 2, 000 meals. To date, Subway volunteers have served over 25,000 meals during this annual giving event. This year’s Subway volunteer meal service will take place on Tuesday, December 22nd at the Union Rescue Mission. Preparations begin at 9:00 a.m. with meals served from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

In addition to the annual volunteer meal service, Los Angeles-area Subway store owners conducted a fundraiser and collected over $16,000 to benefit the Union Rescue Mission’s annual toy program for underprivileged children. Approximately 1,000 families will be invited to shop for Free toys and gifts for their children at the Missions 18th Annual Christmas Store. The (URM) Christmas Store is open to participants in the Mission’s programs as well as to a select group of organizations helping people who are experiencing homelessness and poverty in the Skid Row community.

The Union Rescue Mission (URM) is a non-profit organization dedicated to serving people who are experiencing homelessness, providing emergency services, comprehensive prevention and rehabilitation programs to break the cycle of poverty. (URM) is the nations largest and L.A.’s oldest rescue mission. Services for women and children, in particular have been expanded to meet the needs of this fastest-growing segment of the population experiencing homelessness. On any given night, more than 10,000 families and 18,000 children are without food or shelter in Los Angeles County.

The Union Rescue Mission receives no government funding and is solely supported through the generosity of individuals, foundations and corporations. (URM) is located at 545 South San Pedro Street, in Downtown L.A., 90013.

For information about URM please visit the website urm.org or contact: Kitty Davis-Walker (213) 673-4585 or Shaeideh Prince at (213) 347-6352.