Last night, the Servant Leadership group hosted a URM Talent Show. The Servant Leaders are program men and women who choose to commit beyond the regular program commitments. Wanting to do something fun to lighten everyone’s spirit, they chose to organize a Talent Show. This was no easy task – but proved to be a great idea; the Chapel was standing room only for the show!
The evening began with the Servant Leadership praise team singing two numbers, and giving a warm welcome to the completely full Chapel of guests! The performances were all wonderful, and included a barbershop quartet, spoken word, praise dancing, many soloists, a hilarious skit, and Christian rapping.
Not only did the crowd get to enjoy the talents of others, but the performers really enjoyed being able to share their gifts. It was a fun-filled evening – we are already looking forward to the next one!
One of the highlights of summer for many kids is the opportunity to go to summer camp! This year, we were excited to be able to send kids from URM and Hope Gardens to The Oaks Camp by Lake Hughes, CA.
A week at summer camp is a welcome retreat from Downtown LA and city life in general. The Oaks, nestled in the Angeles National Forest, offers breathtaking views and a peace and quiet not found in urban areas. Many of the campers had never been to the country before, much less experienced the outdoor activities that were offered. They enjoyed making new friends, canoeing, rock-climbing, learning about God, campfires, and swimming!
Stephen, a 6th-grader from URM, said his favorite part of camp was “Fire Circle” – each night everyone goes up into the mountains for a campfire. They sing, see pictures from that day, and listen to the speaker. Marcus, an 8th-grader from URM, enjoyed the speaker and canoeing. He even made a promise to start reading his Bible everyday, and was the only camper in his cabin to memorize every single Bible verse for the whole week!
Although the cost of camp is high, the chance to experience new things, make new friends, and learn about God in a whole new way is invaluable. Summer Camp is a life-changing experience for many kids, and we are so grateful to everyone who helped make it possible for us to provide this great opportunity!
Today, the LA City Council voted in favor of donating surplus food to food banks, homeless shelters, and other organizations that assist those in need. During the press conference earlier this morning, Councilman Jose Huizar explained the reasoning for the decision. “It helps the city reduce waste, and secondly puts food on the tables of families who are going hungry each day here in the city of Los Angeles.”
We are so grateful for this new policy that will help us fulfill some of our needs as we face increasing numbers of people coming to us for meals, shelter, and assistance. As always, we appreciate your continued support – we can’t do it without you!
On Wednesday July 7, 2010 over 20 tons of snow will blanket Union Rescue Mission. Santa and his little helpers will transform URM into a Winter Wonderland so that more than 200 youngsters experiencing homelessness (ages 3 to 17) can enjoy a special early Christmas celebration.
“Christmas In July” is sponsored bySUBWAY Restaurants and will feature mountains of snow, colorful volunteer elves and game booths along with tasty treats like cotton candy, snow cones, popcorn and more. Each child will receive a gift from Santa Clause and will also be treated to a delicious lunch catered by SUBWAY.
Andy Bales said, “I can’t think of a better way to lift the spirits of children experiencing homelessness than giving them an extra Christmas. Santa, snow, toys, lots of snacks and food go a long way in helping children forget, even for a little while, that they are living in a shelter and not their own home. I am thankful to SUBWAY for providing this happy time for our kids”.
Follow URM and Rev. Andy on Twitter for up-to-the-minute photos and updates, and check back for blog updates next week!
Thanks to our generous donors, we have surpassed our goal and raised $2,959,048.34 to save Hope Gardens Family Center! Additional gifts will still be matched until June 30th and go towards sustaining the residents and property and provide placement for more women and children.
We are so grateful to everyone who has helped spread the word to save Hope Gardens – special thanks to all our Facebook Fans and Twitter followers, too!
Read more about the exciting news in Andy’s own words from today’s L.A. Times article.
The internet has been buzzing and we’ve had a lot of requests asking what, exactly, is Hope Gardens? So we wanted to give you a little more insight into what Hope Gardens is, and what it means to many mothers, children, and senior ladies.
Hope Gardens opened in 2007 on 77 acres adjacent to the Angeles National Forest. Hope Gardens Family Center is a transitional living and permanent supportive housing facility where about 120 women and children find sanctuary from the dangerous streets of Skid Row. Through the Mission’s comprehensive program, families progress from homelessness to independent living.
Senior ladies enjoy the comforts of Hope Garden’s “Sequoia Lodge”. This beautiful and safe environment is a far cry from the dangers they encountered on the streets of Skid Row. Children are able to play in safety – riding their bikes, enjoying the playground, or playing a pick-up game of basketball. Mothers can rest assured that their children are in a safe and loving environment, worlds away from the drug dealers and criminals on the streets. Classes are also offered to help moms learn life skills, such as financial skills, coping skills, and parenting classes. Many women are able to take their GED’s, continue their education, and pursue dreams and careers they never thought possible!
All in all, Hope Gardens is a place of peace and safety, where women and children can find refuge to pick up the pieces of their lives and start over. We hope you will take the time to watch the videos below to meet some of the amazing women who were able to turn their lives around while staying at Hope Gardens Family Center.
Kasha was able to re-start her life at Hope Gardens and become the woman and mother she had always strived to be.
Shannon was able to find solace at Hope Gardens while her family was going through a difficult time.
As of June 24th, we have raised an astounding $2,661,412.51 towards our goal of $2.8 million to save Hope Gardens Family Center. We need just $138,587.49 by June 30th to reach the goal!
All gifts sent in by June 30th will be matched, up to $500,000, thanks to a very generous donor! Please consider doing one or all of the following to help us keep Hope Gardens open for the mothers, children, and senior ladies that call Hope Gardens home.
Here is how you can help:
1) Donate. Every gift we receive by June 30th will be matched up to $500,000.
2) Text “URM” at 85944 to donate $10. Please reply “yes” when prompted.
3) Invite your friends to become our Facebook fan. We will receive $1 for every new fan up to $25,000.
4) Spread the news. Share our story on your blog, re-post our blog, or re-tweet our Twitter messages.
If everyone does just one thing, it will make the difference. Thank you for stepping up to meet the need.
We want to keep you in the loop on the crisis regarding Hope Gardens, so here is a quick update.
First of all, we are so grateful for everyone’s support – you have been amazing. We certainly could not do this without you. In the past 5 days, we’ve already raised a miraculous $558,150, bringing our amount still needed down to $2.2million.
Keeping the doors open to Hope Gardens Family Center is only possible through the support of generous people like you. You can make a difference by:
