In The News

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!  

 

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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!

 

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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.

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

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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!

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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.

Wasabi Dare Brings in $50 Donation!

On Thursday, CEO Andy Bales was out to lunch for sushi and decided to challenge a friend to eat a heaping spoonful of wasabi for $20.  Well, the challenge came back at him for $50, and he accepted.  The video below was taken of him successfully completing the dare – and he was kind enough to donate the money to URM!

Disney Volunteers Deck the (Dining) Halls!

For the past two weeks, volunteers from various departments at Disney have given their time to helping out here at URM!  They have spent 8 days working very hard in our kitchen.  One of the kitchen staff said, “It’s really been great having them volunteering this week – they’ve helped out so much!”  Disney also spent a day decorating our Dining Hall, so it is now filled with Christmas spirit every time guests come in to eat!

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In addition, they even sponsored and hosted a Christmas Party for the kids at URM!  It was a fun-filled event, with a carnival, music, treats and lots of dancing!

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Thank you, Disney, for your continued support – we appreciate all you’ve done for us!

Annual Christmas Store Opening Up!

UNION RESCUE MISSION to hold 18th Annual CHRISTMAS STORE

ON DECEMBER 18TH & 19TH

“1,000 Families In Need Invited to Shop for Free”

LOS ANGELES, CALIF. (December 18 & 19, 2009) — More than 2,000 children will receive Christmas gifts this year after their parents shop for presents at the Union Rescue Mission’s (URM) 18th Annual Christmas Store starting on Friday, December 18 at 9:00 a.m. to closing at 6:00 p.m. and again on Saturday, December 19 from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. at URM headquarters located at 545 South San Pedro St. in downtown Los Angeles.

Union Rescue Mission CEO, Andy Bales, said “It’s our joy to provide an opportunity for a unique shopping experience to 1000 families that might otherwise miss out on the joy of personally giving gifts to their children at Christmas”.                                                     

URM, and the Missions offsite facility for mothers and children, Hope Gardens Family Center as well as neighboring missions and service providers helping children and families on Skid Row will be invited to shop free of charge. With so many families in need this year, our goal for 2009 is to provide enough gifts to meet the needs of 1000 families. These families will be given tickets to shop for Christmas gifts in the Mission’s Christmas Store.

 Mothers and fathers will be assisted by volunteers to pick one toy or gift for each of their children ages infant through 17 years.  They will then be assisted in wrapping the gifts in the department store like atmosphere.  While parents shop, kids will experience a visit to our Kid Zone where they will enjoy holiday crafts, games, and treats and also shop for their parents in their own special store.

Each Year URM’s Annual Christmas Store is made possible through the generosity of private donors, and partnering corporations and companies like Verizon, SUBWAY restaurants, Shea Homes and ERA Realtors to name a few.

 

Schedule of Events:

  • Moms begin Shopping for their children…………………………9:30 a.m.
  • Children retreat to Kid Zone….…………………………………..9:30 a.m.    

ALL MEDIA are encouraged to attend.

Union Rescue Mission is a non-profit organization dedicated to serving people experiencing homelessness.  Established in 1891, URM is one of the largest rescue missions of its kind in the United States and the oldest in Los Angeles.  It provides a comprehensive array of emergency and long-term services, including food, shelter, clothing, medical and dental care, Christian recovery programs, transitional housing, legal assistance, education, counseling, and job training to needy men, women, children, and families.  For more information please visit our website at urm.org

Toy Drive Race Held at Crystal Park R/C Raceway

On December 5th and 6th, the Crystal Park R/C Raceway in Compton, CA hosted a Support Union Rescue Mission Toy Drive Race! Miss Keesha Sharp was our special guest, and along with all the racers made it a very fun event. It definitely will make this Christmas extra-special for all the kid’s that call Union Rescue Mission home this holiday season.

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Special thanks to Crystal Park R/C Raceway, Andy Bales, Keesha Sharp, Don Nose, James Rees, and Jeremiah Johnson for their help with this event and continued support of Union Rescue Mission.

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For more information on how you can get involved with Special Supportive events, pease contact Jeremiah Johnson at (213) 347-6300 ext 2225 or email jjohnson@urm.org