…sending Valentine’s Day love, from us to you!
What do you look forward to on Valentine’s Day? Do you have any plans this year? We asked some of our guests what they think about Valentine’s Day, and here’s what they said!
"This year, I'm giving my daughters a prayer and chocolate covered strawberries to show them I love them. But the true gift of giving is a gift from God." - Zane
This week, we have had the pleasure of having the 8th grade class from Foothills Christian Church volunteer. The volunteering is part of a 7- year tradition the school has set up; each year, the 8th grade class completes a unit on Homelessness in America. At the end of the unit, they are able to come down to Union Rescue Mission to experience serving and see first hand many of the issues they have been learning about.
We are very grateful for all the students and their hard work this week – not only have they been a tremendous help with kitchen work and laundry, but they have brought smiles and laughter to many of the guests!
Here is our latest update for January 2010 Statistics including URM, Hope Gardens and Winter Shelter Program.
So far, 2010 has been a busy year for us here at URM, with most of our numbers increasing significantly from last year. Our meals served were up 11% from last year, with 85,749 meals served at URM alone. Adding in our four winter shelters in Downtown LA, Glendale, Culver City, and West LA, and our Hope Gardens Family Center, that number increased to 138,737 meals served in the month of January – that’s about 4,475 meals served each day!
We also showed increases in the number of guests staying at URM, Hope Gardens, and the Winter Shelters each night. Altogether, we were able to provide 49,451 nights of shelter this month!
But our ability to serve would not be possible without your support! We would like to say thanks to all our donors and supporters, as well as to the many volunteers that brighten the lives of our guests while helping out; we had a whopping 1,801 volunteer visits for a total of 5,572 volunteer hours!
We are also grateful for our USC Dental Clinic, UCLA Medical and Mental Health Clinics, and Pepperdine Legal Clinics. Often times, people experiencing homelessness do not have the resources to gain the help they may need to improve their life and their current situation. Our clinics are here to provide that kind of help free of charge! This month they provided the following:
Dental Clinic Visits = 511
Legal Clinic Visits = 38
Mental Health/Counseling Sessions = 152
Medical Visits = 634
With all the rain that we have been experiencing, it is good to know that our Winter Shelters are available for hundreds of people who might be sleeping in the cold otherwise. From December 1st through the end of March, Union Rescue Mission runs four extra shelters through the 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.
WSP Nights of Shelter
Downtown Avg: 258 ppl per night (10% increase from last year)
Culver City Avg: 129 ppl per night
West LA Avg: 123 ppl per night
Glendale Avg: 159 ppl per night
Just to give you an idea of what donations, large or small, from caring people like you can do, here are some quick facts about the costs of services we provide:
To help provide these important services and care for our guests, click here to donate today.
Dear Friends,
As we come to the end of the month, we would like to share just a few of the activities that have been keeping us busy here at URM! From serving record numbers of people, to running winter shelters to planning a special event for our guests, the last few weeks have been action packed. Please take a moment to watch this quick update on what we are accomplishing with the help of friends like you!
Blessings,
The January 2010 Edition of “The Mission” newsletter is now available! Please click here to subscribe.
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.”
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!
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.
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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,
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!
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!
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
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!
