A Publication of the VISALIA RESCUE MISSION
HOPENOW rescue - recovery - restoration
Donnie Pope is the first to admit that he has lived a difficult life, however, his hope has been restored by the love and mercy he has received through Jesus Christ.
Spring 2014 Volume 5 | Issue 1
TABLE OF CONTENTS THE ISSUE OF HOMELESSNESS You’ve probably seen them around town. Maybe in The Oval? Asking for money on the side of the road? It’s no surprise that the issues of homelessness has populated the front of the paper or been discussed at City Council meetings. Read more about some of the solutions we are offering. Pgs. 4 - 8
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VOLUNTEERING YOUR VOCATION A year ago, we were approached by a couple who had heard Danny speak at their church. Moved to action, they wanted to not only offer their time, but their vocation. See how they are using their vocation to help change lives. Pg. 14
14 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Mark Shelton CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD
John Anderson VICE-CHAIR
HOPE NOW MAGAZINE Spring 2014 | Volume 5 Issue 1 | April 7, 2014
Brad Reenders Marc Schuil Rob Van Grouw Judy Vannette
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR OF COMM. DEVELOPMENT
Linda LaFleur SECRETARY
Josh Bergman Steve Biswell Scott Bosler Karen De Groot Mike De Groot John Koster Rance Milliniks
Danny Little Mark Shelton Jessica Cavale Molly Schengel
MAILING ADDRESS: P.O. Box 109 Visalia, CA 93279 TELEPHONE: 559.740.4178 EMAIL: hope@vrmhope.org WEBSITE: www.vrmhope.org
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REPURPOSED TREASURES We are excited to announce that we are expanding our Simply Chic Boutique location on Main Street to house and sell restored furniture! We have extended our store into the old Embellish and Restore location. Pgs. 12 - 13
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OUT OF THE SHADOWS Donnie came to the Rescue Mission for a bed, and instead found a new start to life. After staying in our Overnight Shelter for a month, he entered our Next Steps Program. It was there that his life really started to change. Pgs. 10 - 11
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LETTER FROM DANNY As we are well into
Please continue to pray for us in our desire to facilitate
2014, we are ready to
change so that the human heart can be directed to our
press on to meet the
Lord Jesus Christ.
needs of this coming year.
On
average
we now house over 200 individuals each night. We will house, clothe, bathe, and feed many of our community’s
Danny Little
hurting with the hope of life change. We have seen
Executive Director
over 210 of our previously homeless men placed into permanent housing. What we are ultimately striving to offer is hope. Hope for safety, hope for change, hope for tomorrow, hope for a Savior.
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” - John 10:10
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THE ISSUE OF
Homelessness
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Homelessness THE ISSUE OF
You’ve probably seen them around town. Maybe in The Oval? Asking for money on the side of the road? It’s no surprise that the issues of homelessness has populated the front of the paper and been discussed at City Council meetings. Panhandling and homelessness have become a popular topic of conversation in our community, and for good reason. Homelessness is a real issue. According to the most recent Point-in-Time Homeless count, nationally there are 633,782 experiencing homelessness on any given night1. In our community alone, there is an average of 2,115 homeless individuals sleeping on our streets. 2 Each one of these individuals has a unique story to tell about how they ended up on the streets. Some were born into families of addiction, some suffer from mental illness, and some have just fallen on hard times.
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We have an amazing team in our community that annually surveys
of Jesus Christ. Homelessness may be an issue but there is HOPE.
homeless individuals to hear their story, collect data, and listen
Through our services and the Next Steps Program, in 2013, 210 of our
their needs. According to these volunteers and the Kings/Tulare
guests got off the street and into permanent housing. We have put a
Continuum of Care on Homelessness, the top three reasons for
lot of time, thought and prayer into the services we offer down at the
homelessness are lack of affordable housing, unemployment
Mission, and we know that the services we provide are working! Each
and substance abuse. On top of that, 37.7% are disabled, 31%
and every program at the Mission is provided so that we can share the
suffer from mental illness, and 13% are veterans struggling to re-
love of Christ. From that, people are being fed, individuals are getting
acclimate to society3.
off the street, and lives are being changed.
When asked, local homeless community members said their top
So yes, homelessness is a real issue in our community, but there are
three areas of need were food, housing assistance and health care.
solutions. The staff at the Visalia Rescue Mission is working hard to
Sometimes, something as simple as a meal is all an individual
provide holistic services that meet the spiritual, physical and emo-
needs to get back on their feet. For others, it might take case man-
tional needs of our guests. We invite you to join with us as we open
agement and connecting them to local resources. Thankfully, that
our doors to help those in need to get off the streets and back on their
is why the Rescue Mission exists. To help meet each of these needs,
feet with dignity.
so that each individual can get back on their feet, knowing the love
Our Approach At the Rescue Mission, we focus on 3 main goals: RESCUE – RECOVERY – RESTORATION. When it comes to addressing the needs of our homeless community members, we provide the following…
food
showers
shelter
storage
case
next steps
mangement
program
Our community
For anyone who
We have an overnight
In collaboration with
Those who come
This is the most
Kitchen serves 500
comes to us, we
shelter for men and for
the City of Visalia, we
to us for help have
dynamic service we
meals a day; 365
provide daily shower
women and children.
opened a Storage
an option to meet
offer to homeless
days a year. We serve
times for them to
We provide showers,
Program last year,
with one of our
individuals. For
breakfast, lunch, and
come and keep clean,
laundry, bedding,
allowing individuals
case-managers. The
those who choose
dinner to anyone who
preventing diseases
and storage to those
who are living on the
case-manager takes
to enroll in our Next
might be hungry, no
and the spreading of
who do not have a
streets a safe and
time to listen to their
Steps Program, they
questions asked. We
illness.
safe place to stay.
secure place to store
story and map out a
live on campus,
will never turn anyone
We believe that by
their belongings.
individualized action
receive training, case
way. We believe that a
providing a safe, good
Participants no longer
plan of what steps
management and
warm meal is our first
night’s sleep, these
have to lug around
they need to take to
job experience. Each
connection to getting
individuals will have
their belongings and
get off the streets.
individual volunteers
them the help they
a better chance of
can instead focus on
32 hours a week back
need. Hope begins
getting back on their
what they need to do
to the Mission in a
with a meal.
feet.
to get back on their
variety of ways. By
feet and possibly into
doing so, they are
one of our programs at
gaining valuable work
the VRM.
experience.
(1) U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Annual Homelessness Assessment Report 2012. https://www.onecpd.info/resources/documents/AHAR-2013-Part1.pdf (2) Kings/Tulare County Continuum of Care on Homelessness. 2013 Point In Time. 2013.
(3) National Alliance to End Homelessness. Snapshots of Homelessness. http://www.endhomelessness.org/pages/snapshot_of_homelessness (4) USC School of Social Work. Facing Mental Illness. 2011. http://msw.usc.edu/mswusc-blog/facing-mental-illness-infographic
Collaborative Storage Program: the Visalia Rescue Mission has partnered with the City of Visalia to facilitate a storage program that allows individuals who are living on the streets a safe and secure place to temporarily store their belongings.
WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP? Below is our VRM Resource Card. We ask that instead of
a valuable resource that will help them beyond just one
handing out money to those in need, that you hand out this
meal. Go online to www.vrmhope.org to print OR call us at
card, which has all of our information, locations and meal
559.740.4178 and we will deliver a stack of resource cards to
times. This is a great way to provide someone in need with
your office or business.
COMMUNITY KITCHEN
COMMUNITY CENTER
We are excited to launch a Capital Campaign for funding for 2014-2015! Our goal is to raise 1.6 million dollars which will allow the Mission to move forward in meeting the growing needs of our community.
How Will You Build?
If you are a regular giver to the Visalia Rescue Mission, we are asking that you give ABOVE & BEYOND for these two years to help us reach our goal, transform lives and share the Hope and Restoration of Jesus Christ to those in our City! If you have not given to the Mission in a financial capacity before, we are asking that you become a regular donor towards our Capital Campaign for 2014 and 2015! This is an exciting time for the Mission and we trust that the Lord will do great things through each of you! If you have a business and would like to get your employees involved by launching a very simple employee deduction plan for this campaign, we’d love to help you! With the few easy steps you can get your company and employees invested in the cause of life-change and transformation of the Visalia Rescue Mission! We invite you to join and Build HOPE with Us!
MAIL THE BOTTOM PORTION OF THIS PAGE BACK TO US IN THE INCLUDED ENVELOPE OR CONTACT US FOR MORE INFORMATION AT 559-740-4178 EXT. 204 | HOPE@VRMHOPE.ORG
Build with Us
Out of the Shadows
“Working at the Mission has taught me so much. It’s taught me responsibility, time management and how to build healthy relationships. It also taught me that I have something to offer, and that I am valuable.”
the Next Step Program
Donnie first came to the Mission in search for a bed. After being released from Tulare County Jail late one night, he roamed the streets of Visalia for weeks, wondering what he would do and where he could go. “The streets were hard,” said Donnie, “I would just walk and walk and walk for days on end, because I didn’t know what else to do.” Donnie came from a family of addicts. Born in Porterville, his parents were heroin addicts and alcoholics, exposing him to abuse at a young age. Personally, he struggled with drug abuse for 36 years of his life. Donnie continued, “I’ve come from a lot of evil, I have experienced dark and wicked places. But the VRM has
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saved me from that darkness. They showed me that I had options, and that I wouldn’t be alone.” Donnie came to the Rescue Mission for a bed, and instead found a new start to life. After staying in our Overnight Shelter for a month, he entered our Next Steps Program. It was there that his life really started to change. “Next Steps provided me the freedom to not have to worry about my next meal, or where I would sleep. I could finally rest and refocus on getting my life back together.” Donnie met with his caseworker and they worked out an individual action plan for the steps he needed to take. From there, he started volunteering his time back to the Mission by helping in the thrift
department. It was there that he remembers feeling normal again. “Working at the Mission has taught me so much. It’s taught me responsibility, time management and how to build healthy relationships. It also taught me that I have something to offer, and that I am valuable.” When asked what the biggest change in his life has been, he answered, “Learning about the love and
grace of a relationship with Jesus Christ. I feel like, through Jesus, I have been given another chance.” At 50, Donnie is a new man. He has been restored through a relationship with Jesus Christ and the help of our Next Steps Program. As I was wrapping up the interview with Donnie, he started to leave the room when he turned back and said, “ This is where my life starts. It’s by God’s grace that I have a new start”. written by Molly Schengel
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simply chic boutique NEWLY EXPANDED & GROWING
At the Rescue Mission, we are in the business of restoration. We exist to restore purpose, hope, and dignity through Jesus Christ. We are also in the business of restoring and re-purposing furniture. Anything from side tables to dining room chairs, we see the beauty in unseen treasures. We rescue these amazing finds so that we can support the real life restoration happening on our campus. We are excited to announce that we are expanding our Simply Chic Boutique location on Main Street. We have expanded our store into the old Embellish and Restore building, where we are now selling newly restored and hand painted furniture items. We invite you to come down and take a look at our newly expanded store and the extensive new collection of carefully refurbished furniture. As always, all proceeds from furniture sales and our Thrift Stores go directly to supporting the life changing programs at the VRM! So stop in for a visit and take a look at our amazing new line of beautifully restored furniture!
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RESTORATION & RECOVERY
come visit our new expanded store at 100 E. Main Street
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Volunteering Your Vocation At the Rescue Mission, we are always trying to provide the most wellrounded and holistic services we can. We realize that in order for our guests to get back on their feet, they have a lot of hurdles they need to overcome. We also realize that we cannot meet these needs on our own. That is why we rely on volunteers to come alongside us and serve! A year ago, we were approached by a couple who had heard Danny speak at their church. Moved to action, they wanted to not only offer their time, but their vocation. As a nurse practitioner of 30+ years and a Health Care Administrator with 20 + years in rural health, they knew they could offer a valuable service. In no time, they put together
Volunteer Highlights: Paul and Maria are nurse practitioners who heard Danny speak about the VRM and were moved to action. After realizing that there was no one providing medical support for the homeless, they offered their services and opened a VRM Medical clinic.
Thanks to our Medical Clinic Volunteers, we are now able to provide a more holistic service to those in need, ensuring that life change is possible and it is taking place each and every day right here in our community and at the VRM. what is now the Rescue Mission Medical Clinic. This clinic is open to anyone in our Next Step Program or Drug and Alcohol Recovery Programs. The clinic is hosted two times a month seeing anywhere
“It is a privilege to get to be a part of their recovery. The Rescue Mission really is making a difference, and it is humbling to see.” Maria, Healthcare Administrator.
from 10- 20 individuals a night. The focus is first on listening to each story, then they are able to screen, identify the need, treat, and prescribe appropriate treatment. All for free. “Most of what we see is fixable for 3 cents,” said Nurse practitioner Paul,” but when it goes without treatment, they end up in the ER and costing thousands.” Not only are our guests being cared for and treated, but we are taking key steps to make sure these individuals don’t end up in the ER. “What they are really giving us is an opportunity for our residents to heal physically so that they can really focus on healing spiritually,” said Lindsay Baldwin, Director of Volunteers at the Mission That is exactly what we are seeing. This amazing team of volunteers that has grown from 2 people to 5 people. Each one taking a personal interest in our guests as they hear their stories and determine the best way to serve their physical needs.
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Take Action!
We are proud of the various ministries that
By Volunteering Your Vocation
your skills and gifting could create greater
we’ve created, but maybe you see a way that impact.
Contact Lindsay Baldwin at
lindsay@vrmhope.org or 740.4178
Letter from Chairman of the Board Building “Hope and Restoration through Jesus Christ” is what the
out to raise the money needed to complete that project which
Mission’s focus is all about. We
soon as possible. We are introducing the VRM’s Building Hope
primarily do this by coming
Campaign for 2014-2015. We will need approximately $1,600,000
alongside those that come to
to fully fund our campaign. Please consider an additional gift
us and provide for their physical
toward this project…. We would love to give you a tour of the
will directly improve how we provide services to those that come to us. We are very excited about getting this accomplished as
needs such as food, clothing and many other needs they may
Community Center to see firsthand what needs to be completed.
have. In doing this we are allowed the privilege to share the
Blessings….
Gospel of Jesus Christ which is where restoration begins. Now it is obvious, perhaps, that we need such supplies like food, clothing and funds to provide these basic things. What may be
Mark Shelton President of the Board
overlooked at times are the facilities and buildings needed to provide such dynamic services. It was just over a year ago that we completed the bottom story of the new Community Center. But what many don’t know is that the second floor is still just a
FOR A TOUR OR CAMPAIGN INFORMATION
shell inside and still needs to be completed. So we are setting
EMAIL: JESSICA@VRMHOPE.ORG
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UPCOMING EVENTS Easter Community Meal: Saturday April 19th Come join us as we serve our Community Easter Meal and celebrate
Express Employment Refresh Leadership Simulcast: Wednesday April 16th
the resurrection of Jesus together! We would love to have you come
The Refresh Leadership Live Simulcast is YOUR opportunity to
and serve alongside us!
come together with members of our business community to learn
Contact Lindsay Baldwin at Lindsay@vrmhope.org.
more about the principles of great leadership. Speakers this year
Scott Smith Golf Tournament: Friday April 25th Registration 8am - Tee-off 9am
include: John Mackey//Dick Vitale//Christine Cashen. All proceeds go directly to the Visalia Rescue Mission. For more information, go to www.refreshleadership.com/live
day of golf and to remember an amazing man that served our
5th Annual Golf Skills Challenge: Friday August 15
community. All proceeds will go directly to the VRM.
Registration 7:30am - Tee Off 9am
To sign up go to: www.golfcreekridge.com/smithinvitational.com
Come and test your skills on the golf course and help support the
The Visalia Association of Firefighters are holding a golf tournament in memory of Visalia Fire Captain Scott Smith. Come out for a fun
Visalia Prayer Breakfast: Thursday May 1st 7am - 9am
VRM while you’re at it! Our Annual Golf Tournament is based on the “Big Break” and will be full of fun, competitive challenges. All proceeds will go directly to the VRM.
again this year! As a community, we will join in fellowship and pray
Frampton Guitar Circus: Friday August 29th
together for our City, community, and churches. Come and join us
The Visalia Rescue Mission is presenting an amazing night of guitar-
for a dynamic morning of prayer and encouragement. For more
hero pyrotechnics and gutsy rhythm-and-blues. Grammy®-winning
information as well as ticket and sponsor options,
guitarist Peter Frampton and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee,
go to www.vrmhope.org/calendar
the Real Deal, Buddy Guy, set the night on fire with indelibly searing
The Visalia Rescue Mission will be hosting the Prayer Breakfast
performances. For tickets and more information, go to www.ovalpark.org or www.vrmhope.org
Visalia
PRAYER
Breakfast Thursday May 1st Visalia Convention Center
Community.Together.In Prayer