Rafael Jr. is a bright and astute 11-year-old kid. He’s also outgoing and goofy in turns, never afraid to speak his mind. His eyes reveal a confidence and maturity beyond his years, probably due to the trauma and hardship he’s already suffered in his young life. Rafael was an adorable one year old, just learning to walk, when his father started using meth. While his father was home physically, he was never there emotionally or mentally, and he would often sleep for days.
Kids like
Rafael have
a brighter
future—
thanks to you!
Your support has given Rafael Jr. and his family the chance to rebuild their lives.
Four years later, Rafael and his siblings were removed from their home for two years until Rafael Sr. could get sober and start over. “I don’t really remember anything about that time in my life,” Rafael says. “But things got a lot better when he got better and came back.” The family grew close and tight, always together and loving—until the pandemic in 2020. When the family lost their home, Rafael Sr. relapsed and began using meth again. Worse, they ended up homeless for almost a year. “We started moving from house to house with other families,” he recalls. “I was pretty scared because I didn’t know if we’d have to live on the streets. Sometimes we slept in the van and had to skip meals—and it seemed like Dad was never mentally there for us.” Things started to look up when Rafael Sr. brought his family to Union Rescue Mission for help. But when he failed a drug test, Rafael Jr. was placed in foster care again. “I was, like, wait, what?” he recalls. He doesn’t want to talk about his experience there, but fortunately, it didn’t last long. He rejoined his dad—who’s been clean and sober since August—three months later at URM. “When I first came, I was pretty intimidated by Skid Row, but I felt safe inside here,” he says. “I’ve been here six months now, and I like the staff and people who live here. I’ve made some good friends. It’s like we’re kind of all going through the same thing, so we understand each other. Dad and I are a lot closer now, too. I feel like we’re best friends. I forgive him for what happened, and I like to remind him, ‘It’s OK, Dad, we start off fresh now. I know you got this.’” At Union Rescue Mission, Rafael, along with his dad and younger sibling, share a room of their own. Rafael is in school again and thriving, especially in science. His dad continues to progress in our recovery program and has committed his life to Jesus Christ. Because of people like you, Rafael Jr. and his family have the chance to rebuild their lives on a foundation of hope, renewed trust, and the grace of Jesus Christ. “Thank you,” he says.
Thank YOU for supporting Union Rescue Mission, Hope Gardens,
and Angeles House.
Caring for the Kids
There are BIG smiles when kids and their families move into a home of their very own!
This summer, as homelessness in Los Angeles continues to reach new levels of desperation and tragedy, children will often pay the biggest price of all. Tens of thousands of children are currently living in tents, cars, trailers, motels, and even on the streets. Often, these kids experience hunger too… summertime means most of these kids no longer have access to hot and healthy school lunches. Thanks to YOUR support, there’s hope for these precious children. Women and children will have a safe place to live at Hope Gardens and Angeles House while they receive counseling, training, encouragement, and the real help they need to escape homelessness forever. Children and youth also receive onsite tutoring, mentoring, leadership development, and social and character education to thrive. Please help care for all the children and their families who turn here for help this summer… right now, your gift will have 2x the impact in their lives! Make your most generous gift now at URM.org.
Union Rescue Mission officially opened the
doors of Angeles House Family
Center in South Los Angeles!
On April 14th, Union Rescue Mission officially opened the doors of Angeles House Family Center in South Los Angeles! The three-story, 75,000 sq. ft. facility will house up to 86 more families experiencing homelessness in Los Angeles County. Thanks to your caring support, these families will find new hope, healing, and a way home. To learn more about Angeles House, please visit urm.org.
Join the Walk to Fight Homelessness
We need you!
This summer, tens of thousands of men, women, children and families are devastated by hunger and homelessness. Many, especially children, will suffer inconceivable trauma that will affect them for years to come. But today, you can help save a child from that fate. There’s no better time than right now. Generous friends of Union Rescue Mission have offered to match every gift we receive—up to $500,000!
That means any gift you send will automatically DOUBLE to provide TWICE as much help for men, women, and children at Union Rescue Mission, Hope Gardens, and Angeles House!
• 2X the meals!
• 2X the nights of shelter!
• 2X the number of lives transformed!
The June 30 deadline for this extraordinary opportunity is only days away, so please send a generous gift today and provide TWICE as much help—and, in return, receive twice the blessing!
NOTES FROM ANDY
Our Focus on Families
Ever since the Great Recession in 2008, and more recently the COVID-19 pandemic, more and more families are falling into homelessness in Los Angeles. It’s not only mothers with children, it’s single dads with kids, like Rafael and his father in this newsletter. It’s also two-parent households and even grandparents with kids. Drugs and alcohol, mental health issues, the disintegration of connections to extended family, underemployment, and unaffordable housing all play a part in this tragedy. The need is great, but Union Rescue Mission— thanks to folks like you—has always risen to meet the need. Our hearts and our commitment to Jesus could do no less. That’s why we opened Hope Gardens more than 15 years ago, and most recently Angeles House—to help families get back on their feet. Your support not only provides families with meals and shelter, you’re helping them find permanent housing, job training and employment, counseling, and educational support for kids. Many of the dads are also going through our oneyear recovery program while their kids stay here as well—like Rafael’s dad. Thanks to you, families devastated by homelessness are finding a second chance and are thriving once more. May God bless you!