MISSION UPDATE News of hope and healing from Atlantic City Rescue Mission
Homeless can happen to anyone. Hope happens here.
Fall 2016
“ GOD, I’M NOT READY TO GO TO THE MISSION. ” Here’s how your gifts changed Doris’ life
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urricane Sandy left Doris homeless. Wandering the streets, alone and scared for her life, she huddled in whatever temporary shelter she could find at night. From frightened to faithful | Read more on page 3 »
Inside
food + shelter 2 When are not enough
on 2 What’s the menu?
Mission 3 “The gave me everything...”
NEEDED BY THANKSGIVING
A Message from Dan Brown
Will you join in and set more places at our table for hungry people in Atlantic City this Thanksgiving? We need your help! Just look at our needs this holiday: 51,150+ meals for men, women & children 1,200 food boxes for families, seniors and people in desperate need of food And there’s no way we can serve thousands of people without you!
Donate food: Please consider hosting a food drive or donating these needed items before Monday, November 21.
• Turkeys & hams • Boxes of stuffing • Bags of potatoes & sweet potatoes • Fresh or #10 canned fruits & vegetables • Baked pies & whipped topping • Coffee, creamer, sugar (white & brown)
Drop off at 2009 Bacharach Blvd., 7 days a week. Thank you! Want to know more about donating food or hosting a food drive? Contact Mike D. (609) 345-5517, ext. 125 volunteer@acrescuemission.org Volunteer: You can help from now until Thanksgiving Day.
When food and shelter are not enough... If all we do with your most generous gifts is feed and shelter hungry, homeless people in southern New Jersey, we’re not doing our job! Meals and a bed will not keep people from being homeless.They also need education and job training, like we provide in our Work Readiness Program. Food and shelter alone will not end addiction. People trapped in the prison of alcohol and drug use need counseling and support. And every single one of the men, women and children who comes to “Man shall not live on bread alone, but the Mission needs God’s grace. As our busiest time of the year on every word that approaches, I need your help comes from the to make absolutely sure people’s mouth of God.” physical and spiritual needs are met. Donate food, or send a gift to purchase it. Volunteer, especially before the holidays. And please pray – for those who so desperately need our help, and the Lord’s, to live better lives.
Dan Brown President & CEO
What’s On The Menu? Nourishing food & God’s love!
Contact our volunteer department:
(609) 345-5517, ext. 165
volunteer@acrescuemission.org
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You can provide both with your 2016 Annual Thanksgiving Campaign gift! Please use the enclosed envelope, or give online at acrescuemission.org. Thank you!
“THE MISSION GAVE ME EVERYTHING…”
Doris remembers the night Hurricane Sandy hit the coast. She was alone. Her cousin had offered her a place to stay while Doris recovered from a long illness that had left her in debt, with huge medical bills...no job...and no home of her own. “When I woke up, the water was at the door,” she says. “I couldn’t get out.” By the grace of God, Doris survived the night. She remembers the water rising and “chairs floating by the window.” Sadly, Hurricane Sandy left many people without a clue of where to turn for help. Without a home of her own, and with no money, Doris was forced to wander the streets during the day and find temporary shelter every night. She felt totally alone, and scared for her life. “Every day, I was just trying to get a meal, trying to get fresh clothes.”
When she came to the Mission, Doris found just that – and so much more. She’d been scared to visit the Mission. “I prayed, ‘God, I’m not ready to go to the Mission...I’m scared.’” But with no other options, she walked through our doors. “I had been to the Mission for meals before,” she says. “But I never imagined everything else they offer.” Doris joined our Work Readiness program right away to gain confidence and new skills that helped her find steady employment. She began working again, and she made the decision to join our Hope Program. Chapel. Classes. Counseling. In our Hope Program, women like Doris can finally begin to heal, physically
and spiritually, as they learn and grow in God’s love. “My life has turned around since I’ve started studying the Bible,” she says. “When I get depressed now, I remember I’ve got to keep God in my life to keep me going.” “The Mission has showed me how to keep my hope up and my spirit alive so I won’t fall down again.” Our staff also helped Doris acquire a birth certificate and other legal documents so she can transition successfully back into a home of her own in our community soon. “The Mission changed me inside and out,” Doris says. “They gave me everything, and now I want to give back to them.” 3
CONNECT WITH US ONLINE!
facebook.com/acrescuemission
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A Legacy that Lives On Your gifts will live on to bring help & hope to so many Rosemary wanted to be a blessing to others in Atlantic City. She realized she could make a bigger impact by including the Mission in her will...often referred to as a “bequest.” Her bequest ensured her legacy of generosity would continue for years to come. You can choose how you wish to give: cash, real estate, property or stocks. And it’s easy to update your wishes at any time. Ready to talk more about leaving your legacy? Or just interested in learning more? Please contact the Development Department here at the Mission – we’d love to tell you more! (609) 345-5517, ext. 120 hollyjennings@acrescuemission.org
@acrescuemission
Already blessed the Mission with a bequest? Please let us know so we can say, “Thank you!”
acrescuemission.org
Our guests may never meet you, but they give thanks for your care and support each and every day!
51,150
27,570
MEALS
NIGHTS OF SHELTER
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Here’s my 2016 Annual Thanksgiving Campaign gift:
Check enclosed
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Bill my credit card
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$21.76 to help feed and care for 8 people $51.68 to help feed and care for 19 people $76.16 to help feed and care for 28 people $_______ to help as much as possible
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CREDIT CARD #
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Donate now! acrescuemission.org (609) 345-5517, ext. 116
Atlantic City Rescue Mission P.O. Box 5358 Atlantic City, NJ 08404-5358
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