More than 200 mothers and kids come to URM for help each month. Families in desperate need of a safe place to stay and help to get back on their feet.
Watch how lives are transformed every day. And see how your generosity can help rescue families from the streets, and help them find their way home.
Last week, a group of USC Graduate students came to share information with the guests of Union Rescue Mission on a variety of health topics. From women’s health, to tuberculosis, general information and where to go for help was shared.
Connections were made over delicious cupcakes (big thanks to Big Man Bakes!), and many people were able to increase their knowledge on topics relating to their health and that of those around them!
Thanks so much to all the students from USC Med Connect who came out to make this event possible.
When you’re a kid, riding a merry-go-round, going round and round in circles, is fun. But when your whole life becomes one long ride on that merry-go-round, it’s not so fun.
One year ago, I was 29 years old, with three children, and I had never had a permanent, full-time job or lived on my own. I had my first child when I was just 14, then two more in my early 20s. Despite my young age, I was a good mother. I don’t do drugs, I don’t drink, and I don’t party. But outside of raising my kids, I never learned how to live life outside of the control of my family.
Over the past 16 years, I lived with my mom, my auntie, my sister, my boyfriend, my biological father — round and round, living with whoever would take me and my kids, whoever would take responsibility for my life so I didn’t have to.
But last year, I took a hard look at my life. Me and my kids were sleeping on my sister’s floor. Worse, the constant moving took a toll on my kids — they’re behind in their education and reading skills. It was clear that nothing would ever change unless I changed. But if I left, I’d be homeless. I was scared. Yet I had no choice. I had to get off the merry-go-round.
So I found myself a temporary position as an office assistant, to start earning some money, then I moved to Union Rescue Mission’s Hope Gardens Family Center. Not only did Hope Gardens provide us with shelter and safety, they provided tutors for my kids. They offered me classes that taught me about relationships, gave me better financial skills, and even skills to make me a better mother. They’ve given me everything I needed to live life on my own.
A couple of months ago, my temporary job turned into a permanent one. My next goal is to find us a new place to live. And after that, I plan to attend college to earn my business degree!
Thanks to Hope Gardens, and caring people like you who support Union Rscue Mission, I’m escaping the merry-go-round. Thank you!
The face of homelessness is changing. It’s no longer just the single male, struggling with addiction. Today it includes mothers with kids.
Nationwide, family homelessness is up 13% since 2007 — and is still climbing. More than 3 million parents and children are on the verge of homelessness.
Every week, more families run out of options. They fall all the way to Skid Row. Now, so many are coming to Union Rescue Mission, we’re struggling to find room for them all.
Why are we a society that seems willing to throw our families and children away so easily? We must learn to care again, to make sure no precious human being is thrown away to the streets.
Blessings
Rev. Andy Bales
Union Rescue Mission as founded in 1891 by Lyman Steward, president and founder of Biola University and Union Oil Company. The organization is one of the largest and oldest of its kind in the United States. Throughout the years, Union Rescue Mission has adapted its services to meet the most urgent and growing need of the community. From a stellar men’s program to supporting the growing number of women and children on the streets of Los Angeles by providing them emergency overnight shelter at its 225,000 sq.ft. facility in Los Anglees and providing transitional living for women and children and permanent supportive housing for senior women at Hope Gardens Family Center near Sylmar, California. Thanks to generous donations of caring individuals and organizations, URM continues its legacy of helping to transform lives of men, women, and children. Our Annual Spring Golf Classic is a vehicle for positive change and restored hope for those experiencing homelessness and have found their way to Union Rescue Mission. Limited to 144 golfers, the scramble format tournament promises a day of fun with contests, awesome prizes, good food, and great people. Regardless of your score, you will head home knowing you’ve helped to bring hope and healing to people who desperate need it by supporting a worthy organization that has been making a difference in our city since 1891. Not a golfer? No worries, there are a number of ways that you can be part of this special day and make a lasting difference in someones life. Join us for other activities, team awards and dinner. Perhaps sponsor a round of golf for our Program men or women or consider promoting your product or service in our Commemorative Program Book. It all adds up! We look forward to hearing from you!
Helen is an 11 year old girl in elementary school. With some help from her mom, Helen was able to get a $40 gift card from target and a $50 gift card from Trader Joes donated. Over their spring break, Helen and her friend Sara, spent a day putting together some Easter baskets to bless the guests at URM. Yesterday morning they delivered 53 baskets full of Easter love!
URM is all about transformation, and that is what Easter is all about as well – the transforming power of Christ. Every friend of URM, every gift to URM, and each and every one of those 53 baskets represents that heart of transformation – the desire to make something better; to restore it. Friends like you, like Helen and Sara, keep this place going. You are the reason people are transformed here. Happy Easter!
I’m honored to write about my long time friend Moe, during this Easter Resurrection Season!
I first met Moe when I worked in Pasadena as the pastor of Community Outreach at Lake Ave. Church.
We started a small meal outreach and bible study on Sunday evenings at the church for people experiencing homelessness. The meal quickly grew to 300 people each Sunday. A faithful few attended the bible study.
Moe was one of the precious people who attended the meal. Moe and others in Pasadena still call me Pastor Andy even as I’ve worked in downtown LA at Union Rescue Mission for the last 8 years.
I received a call about Moe nearly 2 years ago. Friends of URM from a local church, San Gabriel Community Church, were concerned about a man on the corner who was experiencing homelessness and asking for money and assistance. It was indeed Moe.
I told our friends that giving Moe money to feed his addiction would not help. Even helping him find a job and renting an apartment for him would not help Moe for long. His addiction would cause him to lose his job and his apartment. He didn’t need change out of someone’s pocket, Moe needed real change through a recovery program like the intense one year life transformation program at Union Rescue Mission. I was so proud of this group of friends who listened to our our advice, became true friends of Moe, invited him to their church, and encouraged him to enroll in URM’s recovery program.
More than that, they stayed alongside Moe on each step of the journey. This kind of friendship is one of the most effective ways to end homelessness one person at a time. Real change is what is often needed. I hope you will join us in our Easter Restoration Campaign and help bring that real change to other precious people like Moe. Take time to watch Moe’s story and take action today.
Blessings,
Rev. Andy Bales
For me, Easter is all about love — God the Father’s love for His only Son. When Jesus died on that cross, it must have hurt God real bad.
I know that kind of hurt. I lost my only son to a car accident four years ago. His death sent me right back to drinking, because the only way I knew how to cope with loneliness and loss was to drink the pain away.
I had already experienced a lot of loss in my life. My own father died when I was 11, and after that, my whole family struggled to make ends meet.
Later I got married and had my son. But my first marriage didn’t last. Neither did my second one. That’s when I really started drinking — and it bit me like a snake.
Alcohol became my life, and when I drank I got loud and ugly.
I lost my job as a bus driver due to two DUIs. Unable to work, I drank even more. I became a loner. No one wanted me around anyway — no one except my son. No matter how low I sank, my son would always be there to encourage me to give life another chance.
Five years ago, it worked. His love got me sober again. Until Super Bowl Sunday, 2009. When I learned my son had died, I ended up living on the streets and drank every day. I felt abandoned by my father, by my wives, by my son, and even by God.
One day in May 2010, I came to Union Rescue Mission to get cleaned up for awhile. But something happened. I heard that God still loved me, so I started reading the Bible. And it was like God was talking to me — to me! Then I started opening up to my chaplains and some of the other guys who were trying to get their lives together. We became more than friends, we became brothers. We knew we were all in this together. So we pulled together, helping one another. Loving one another.
As love crept back into my life, I started loving myself, as well. I haven’t had a drink in almost two years.
On that first Easter Sunday, God loved His Son so much, He raised Jesus back to life. I can’t do that for my son, but I know one day I’ll see him again. I know that’s true because God raised me from the dead and gave me eternal life, too. I’ve been resurrected and I am a new man.
For just $56 a day, Union Rescue Mission can provide meals, shelter, and long-term recovery services that change lives. This Easter, join our online Renew, Restore, Rejoice! Campaign and set a goal to sponsor a day, a few days, or even a week.
You can be part of changing a life forever!
1. Create your personal fundraising page and set a goal for how much you want to raise.
2. Share with friends and family to encourage them to donate.
3. Feel good, knowing you are giving people hope and help for a brighter future!
Every year, I love spending Thanksgiving and Christmas at Union Rescue Mission. But the truth is, this would still be a special place if we stopped celebrating those holidays. There is one holiday, however, we cannot cease to celebrate: Easter. It’s simple. Without Easter, there would be no Union Rescue Mission.
When Jesus died, then emerged from His tomb that first Easter, He gave everyone the chance for new life today . . . and for eternity. No matter how badly a man has broken his life, or life has forsaken a young mother, or society has turned its back on an innocent child — God has written them all on the palm of His hand. He gives us all new life, new hope, and a second chance.
That promise of new life is the foundation of everything Union Rescue Mission does. It is the power, the hope, and the reason for all we do on behalf of hurting people. That means every investment you make in our Mission is an investment in God’s resurrecting power. Thanks to you, lives are more than transformed, they are healed and raised to new life. Because He is risen!
Blessings,
Rev. Andy Bales
My friend, Pops, walked into my office at Union Rescue Mission a few months ago, just as I was returning to work after a heart attack and quadruple bypass surgery. Pops said, ‘I need this place more than it needs me!’ I responded, ‘I know exactly how you feel!’ As he left my office I wondered to myself, how does a murderous, drug dealing, heroin addict of over 50 years turn into a God-fearing, sensitive gentleman who now only wants to serve and encourage others who are struggling? I knew the answer.
2 Corinthians 5:17
New International Version (NIV)
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
When Pops wandered into the back door of Union Rescue Mission nearly three years ago, trying to save his life and escape the 50 years of addiction that had destroyed him physically, mentally and spiritually, he not only saved his life, but he found new life and became a new man through the resurrecting power of Jesus Christ. Watch Pops’ Story to hear Pops tell more of his amazing story of transformation.
That is what happens at Union Rescue Mission. Precious men like Pops don’t just get well through our mental, medical, dental and legal clinics, discipleship, learning and PE classes, they come face to face with the transforming power of our Savior Jesus Christ!
We are so thankful you are willing to be a participant in this work that transforms men like Pops.
Please join us in our Easter Restoration Campaign and participate by making a one time gift of $56 or better yet, set up your own Easter Restoration Fundraising Page and have your friends and family join you in this transforming work that helps struggling folks like Pops become a new man who wants to only serve God and others.
Bless you
As you may have heard, I’ve had a difficult year health-wise. On June 29th, I had a second heart attack which led to heart failure. The doctors and nurses at Glendale Adventist Hospital saved my life with quadruple bypass surgery on July 5th. The bypass led to complete kidney failure, 4 and 1/2 months of dialysis, and two weeks ago I received a life saving kidney transplant – my wife was the life providing donor.
The good news is, I am feeling like a brand new man! I’m walking 3.2 miles around the Rose Bowl every day. I am two pounds below my high school wrestling weight! As I’ve gone through this complete restoration, transformation, almost resurrection, I’ve realized I am much like the men and women who come into Union Rescue Mission. Often, instead of just needing physical restoration like me, they are in need of complete restoration, body, soul and mind.
On Sunday, we will celebrate 25 men, who will graduate from this transforming, restorative program. I’ll watch as men, who previously slept on the sidewalks, addicted to crack cocaine, heroin, or meth for up to 7 years. step on the URM stage sober, confident and full of Hope for the future-new men!These men have been on quite the journey. a journey in which they have become Renewed, Restored, and can now REJOICE!
I am writing this because I want to tell you about our Easter Restoration campaign. As we focus on the death and resurrection of Christ this Easter, we want to remember that it is the power of His resurrection that transforms and restores lives here at Union Rescue Mission. It is so important that you join us in our Easter Restoration campaign. It costs $56 a day to sponsor someone who has entered our year long recovery program. We can’t do this without you.
We would like to invite you to start your very own fundraising page and help us kick off our Easter Restoration Campaign. It is simple. Click on this Easter Restoration Link and set up your own fundraising page. Invite your friends and family to join you in this restoration campaign. Join us as we Renew. Restore. Rejoice!
Blessings,
Rev. Andy Bales
Easter is the time of year when people all over the world come together to celebrate the miracle of Christ’s resurrection and transformation. That’s why we created our Easter Restoration Campaign — to honor that miracle by working on transforming the lives of thousands of men, women, and children experiencing homelessness.
There are so many lost and hurting souls living on the streets of Skid Row. We are counting on help from friends like you during our Easter Restoration Campaign so we can reach them all.
1. Create your personal fundraising page and set a goal for how much you want to raise.
2. Share with friends and family to encourage them to donate.
3. Feel good, knowing you are giving people hope and help for a brighter feature!