…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
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!
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!
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:
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.
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.
$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.
I don’t know about you, but I made more than 1 New Year’s Resolution this last week. I started the first one this morning. When I arrived at Union Rescue Mission, I took the stairs rather than the elevator – good for my heart and my waist line! I was fortunate enough, or unfortunate enough, to battle an illness and busyness through the Holidays that helped me lose 15 lbs! I have resolved to lose another 15 lbs by March 1st. I am avoiding desserts, fried foods, and I am determined to eat more vegetables! I am going to make time to ride my bicycle enough each week to strengthen my heart as well. I also re-committed to taking time each day to read a couple of Read Through the Bible programs and daily devotionals, something I committed to last November 1st, after hearing my friend and mentor John Perkins say, “How did I persevere? By being discipled in the Word of God!”, but I let that one slip on too many days.
However, my biggest resolve this year is to do what I can and say what I must to change the heart of this great city of Los Angeles, and help us live up to the title of the City of Angels by ending our reign as the Capital of Homelessness in the U.S. I know hearts can change towards people who are experiencing homelessness, because I had my own change of heart 24 years ago. One day, one of my students mistreated a “weaker” student and it broke my heart. So I preached Matthew 25 verses 31-44 to them, where Christ returns, separates the sheep from the goats, and He says, “come and take my inheritance prepared for you since the creation, for I was hungry and you gave me food. I was thirsty and you gave me drink. For whatever you did for one of the least of these, you did it unto me.” It was the best sermon I have ever preached! The following Sunday, just days later, I was eating in my booth at the parking lot that I worked at on the weekend. A man who was homeless asked me for my sandwich. I said, “No, I need my sandwich.” His face dropped with disappointment as he walked into the darkness and out into the snow. Immediately, I heard that still small voice. “Andy, here was your chance to practice what you preached, and you missed it.” I prayed for another chance. I found the man and fed him dinner. That’s the day God truly changed my heart. I’ve been working in Missions and with people who are experiencing homelessness ever since.
Today I would strongly suggest that it is impossible to be a true believer or a faithful religious person if we practice spiritual disciplines like prayer, bible study, worship, even fasting, but do not respond with love in action to human beings, brothers and sisters who are living on the streets of our city. These struggling people represent Jesus Christ on earth, and our response to them is our response to Jesus himself. Matthew 25:31 sums it up well, but it finds its root in Isaiah 58:6-11 (ESV):
6 “Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke?
7 Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?
8 Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily; your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.
9 Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry, and he will say, ‘Here I am.’ If you take away the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness,
10 if you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday.
11 And the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.
Will you resolve with me, to work toward the day when not one precious human being will be left sleeping on the streets of our city? Learn more about how you can take action at youarethemission.com
Thanks to 100 volunteers from Subway restaurants, URM residents enjoyed delicious Subway sandwiches for lunch on Tuesday, December 22nd.
Subway restaurants have been great supporters of URM. This year they also helped raise about $14,000 to help with our Christmas Store!
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!
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!
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!
Thank you, Disney, for your continued support – we appreciate all you’ve done for us!
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:
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
The fourth annual Project Homeless Connect Day- Downtown LA will be held on Thursday, December 10th. The event will be held on 6th street, between Wall and San Pedro, and will run from about 10:00 am until 2:00pm.
Project Homeless Connect is part of a national initiative designed to bring together service providers, agencies, and organizations to provide housing, hospitality, information, health-care and other services for our nation’s homeless population. Los Angeles County, along with Santa Monica, Long Beach, Pasadena, Downtown LA, South Los Angeles, and the East San Gabriel Valley will each be hosting an event to bring awareness and connect those experiencing homelessness to much needed services. The goal is to provide area homeless and working poor access to the assistance they need to become self-sufficient and to ultimately obtain affordable housing.
Some of the day’s activities will include:
Project Homeless Connect Day will:
Get Involved and Help Make a Difference
Project Homeless Connect Day is a great opportunity for you and your organization to get involved with doing your part in trying to reduce the County’s homeless population. There are several ways to be a part of this special event.
If you are interested in getting involved in any way, or would like more information, please contact Sara Farnsworth at (213) 316-2752 or via email at projecthomelessconnect@urm.org.
