DenverRescueMission.org
March 2017
ANSWERING HARDSHIP
with Hope
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead …. 1 Peter 1:3 (NASB)
this Easter,
“The time I shared with Carrie was so sweet. Washing her feet was such a small gesture of kindness, but she appreciated it so much. She said the Mission makes her feel like she has a place in the world. I’m so glad I’m able to be a part of that.” - Nicole, Mission volunteer and donor
Photo credit: Mike Clark
HELP US SHINE THE LOVE OF GOD INTO THE LIVES OF OUR HOMELESS AND SUFFERING NEIGHBORS.
ANSWERING HARDSHIP
with Hope thank you
FOR ANSWERING HARDSHIP WITH
HOPE THIS EASTER THROUGH YOUR SUPPORT TODAY!
Easter is one of our favorite times of the year at Denver Rescue Mission because we have so many unique opportunities to serve people who are experiencing the hardships of homelessness in our city. Thanks to our friends at Volunteers of America, guests at our Easter Banquet will have the opportunity to join us for a chapel service and participate in communion. As they leave the chapel, each guest will be invited to have their feet washed by Mission staff and volunteers. It’s an intimate time allowing us to connect with our homeless and struggling neighbors, praying with them and offering encouragement. They will also have the opportunity to ask a volunteer physician to examine their feet. This is an
invaluable service for our guests who often struggle with foot-related health problems. Each adult will also be offered a brand new pair of socks and shoes, thanks to our generous sponsors, Runners Roost and New Balance. Lastly, everyone is invited to join us for a delicious Easter meal, and children who attend will receive a fun Easter basket!
JEFF’S STORY OF CHANGE “I came into this thinking that I was a very functional person,” Jeff says, but as he describes his experience over the last few years, he admits he had problems and needed help. In 2014, he left a lucrative career in IT and went on a road trip across the U.S. with his daughter. “I got burned out,” he says. “So I spent my savings on a vacation and had a great time.” But when the trip was over, he still felt exhausted, and he spent most of his time and money drinking alcohol. Eventually, he needed a way to pay for his living expenses and drinking habits, so he got a job at the local Home Depot. Three months later, he impulsively transferred from his local store in California to the store in Boulder, Colorado with just $122 to his name. Because he was working the graveyard shift, Jeff wasn’t able to find a service center to access a bed and shower during the day. Assuming he’d find more services in a bigger city, he took a bus to Denver. “I had no idea where anything was,” he says, “so I just followed a couple homeless guys to Denver Rescue Mission.” At the Mission, he was able to get a shower and sleep safely in the courtyard until it was time to go back to his job in Boulder. “Every day, I would get off work in the morning, take the bus to Denver, walk to the Mission, and sleep in the courtyard on a table for six or seven hours,” he says. “Then I’d wake up in the evening, shower and get back on the bus to Boulder to go to work again.” The routine was brutal, and after two weeks, someone suggested he try something different. They told him about our Next Step services and how he could have a bed that’s guaranteed, a shower when he needed, access to a locker, and access to life-skills workshops hosted by the Mission. “After sleeping on a table in the sun for several days, Next Step sounded great,” he says. “So I signed up, and it was amazing.” But the most amazing part about Next Step wasn’t the basic needs it met, it was the opportunity it presented for Jeff to change his life. “I realize now that picking out Boulder on a map and moving with nothing wasn’t the smartest idea,” he says. In the financial class called Bootstraps, he learned to better manage his money, one of the main issues that caused him to end up homeless to begin with. But more important than that were the relationship development class, the conflict resolution class and the
help
addiction class. In these classes, Jeff came to understand his addictions and learned ways to manage them. “Sometimes in these classes, people will tell me, ‘You’ve never done heroin, you don’t know what it’s like,’” he says. “And I tell them, ‘No, but I love to fight. I’d rather fight than do dope or drink alcohol.’” Talking openly about these things in the encouraging environment of the classes helped him recognize his addictions to alcohol, adrenaline and fighting. “You have to manage your addictions to be a functional member of society,” he says. “It’s that simple”. For most, Next Step is a chance to slow down and take inventory of their lives. “When you have problems you’re trying to overcome but you’re not taking the time to slow down and actually figure them out, it’s like trying to run and put your shoes on at the same time,” Jeff says with a knowing smile. “It just doesn’t work. But the Mission allows you the chance to stop and breathe, and assess what your next step will be.” Jeff says his next step is to transfer his job to another Home Depot, but this time, it’s not an impulsive decision. “Rent in Denver is very high,” he says. “So I’ve been searching for more affordable places to live. There’s a Home Depot in Wichita, Kansas that I’ve been in contact with. And I’ve been talking with an apartment complex nearby. Thanks to the Mission, I’m better equipped to take life head-on than I was when I came to Denver. I’m so grateful for that.” Look for more encouraging stories, news and updates on our Facebook page: Facebook.com/DenverRescue.
CHANGE MORE LIVES LIKE JEFF’S THIS EASTER.
USE THE ENCLOSED ENVELOPE TO MAIL IN YOUR GIFT TODAY, OR GO ONLINE TO DENVERRESCUEMISSION.ORG /DONATE
Letter from the CEO
Making the Most of Your Donations When you give to Denver Rescue Mission, you want to know your gifts are really making a difference. That’s why we’re committed to helping you understand the real impact of your donations and how your gifts help change lives. Download your copy of our 2016 Annual Report today at DenverRescueMission.org/Financial-Accountability.
Dear Friends, There are a lot of great photos that our staff take which remind me what a privilege it is to serve people in need through the work we do at Denver Rescue Mission. I must admit there is something so heartwarming about seeing a picture of someone enjoying a healthy meal at one of our facilities. Knowing that we serve nearly 850,000 meals a year, it is uplifting to see a photo of someone smiling as they enjoy their food. But the photos I love the most come at Easter. These photos are of volunteers or staff members down on their knees washing the feet of one of our neighbors suffering in homelessness. The image of serving by washing someone’s feet reminds me of what Jesus did for the disciples in the Bible shortly before his death on the cross. Washing their feet was his example to his followers of what we should do daily for others— serve them. Washing someone else’s feet and allowing someone to wash your feet are both humbling experiences. The photo inside this month’s Changing Lives showing one of our donors washing a guest’s feet is a powerful one. It also reminds me that while we may not all have the opportunity to wash the feet of someone in need, we can all humble ourselves and serve one another. This Easter, perhaps you could remember this photo and be confident that we appreciate you partnering with us as we work on bended knee to help others. Happy Easter! God Bless,
Brad Meuli President/CEO
Rockies Cleanup Every year, after the first Colorado Rockies game of the season, Mission staff and program participants spend a day cleaning up the streets in the Ballpark Neighborhood around our Lawrence Street Shelter and Community Center. This year, we’re excited to serve the community through this event on April 8 as a way to give back and say thank you for the support you give to make our ministry possible. We also want to extend a special thank you to the Colorado Rockies for supporting our work to change lives every day. We’re sorry, but there are no volunteer opportunities for this event. Thank you for allowing us to serve the community in this unique way.
Easter Celebration
Greatest Needs
Statistics
Do you have items to donate to the Mission? Food, clothing, personal hygiene items, furniture, and even cars are among some of the typical things donated to help families and individuals in need.
How You Help
But did you know we also accept these types of items?
• Stationery items • Diapers • Baby bottles • Over-the-counter medications • Eye glasses and cases • Hay and livestock feed (at Harvest Farm) • And more!
When: Friday, April 14 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Best of all, you don’t have to leave home to donate many of the items the Mission needs. Simply log on to DenverRescueMission.org/amazonwishlist, purchase the items you want to donate through our Amazon Wish List and choose Denver Rescue Mission as your gift registry delivery address. You can even send a short message to the Mission along with your gift before you finish the purchase!
Where: Lawrence Street Community Center 2222 Lawrence Street Denver, CO 80205
Ready to Volunteer Most of the volunteer opportunities for big events like our Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas banquets fill up quickly. But we rely on volunteers throughout the year to serve meals, provide encouragement and even accomplish tasks behind the scenes at our various facilities. Want to get involved? Visit DenverRescueMission.org/ Volunteer to learn more.
Ministry Outreach Center 5725 East 39th Avenue Denver, CO 80207 Hours: 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Lawrence Street Shelter Overnight shelter for men, chapel and health clinic Champa House Residential facility offering long-term help toward self-sufficiency to single mothers with dependent children Harvest Farm Rural rehabilitation program near Fort Collins
68,805
Fort Collins Rescue Mission Meals, shelter and transitional programs The Crossing Transitional program for families and rehabilitation program for men
487,596
Nights of shelter provided
30,587
201,142
Chapel attendance
19,559
3,786
Clothing distributed (lbs.)
36,558
The Crossing 6090 Smith Road Denver, CO 80216 Hours: 7:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
If you have questions about donating items, please call Aric at 303.331.2934.
YTD (fiscal year)
Meals provided
If you already have items to donate, please bring them to one of our preferred drop-off locations:
Denver Rescue Mission Outreaches Lawrence Street Community Center Meals, restrooms, showers, washing machines and dryers, clean drinking water, and access to Mission staff for encouragement and guidance
January
217,272
Clinic services provided
409
2,745
Changing Lives is the monthly news publication of Denver Rescue Mission. Director of Communications: Christine Gallamore Designer: Rachel Titus Writer: Robert Bogan
Ministry Outreach Center Central warehouse facility including food, clothing and furniture distribution Administration & Education Entry point for Mission programs and home to the Mission’s administrative and development staff Family Services Transitional program, assistance for permanent housing, and mentoring
P.O. Box 5164 • Denver, CO 80217 • 303.297.1815