MISSION UPDATE News of hope and healing from Atlantic City Rescue Mission
Homeless can happen to anyone. Hope happens here.
Summer 2018
No Longer Alone
Today, Quan has lasting hope and a caring circle of friends. BECAUSE OF YOU, CHALLENGES BECOME CHANGED LIVES THROUGH GOD’S LOVE.
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from 2 ADanMessage Brown
can give somebody 3 “Ihope.” 4 Did You Know?
“I feel like my
situation can give somebody HOPE.”
Quan used to feel all alone in this world. Growing up with an alcoholic, verbally abusive father made home life difficult. He says, “Dad had a problem with drinking. He would come home drunk and start yelling and screaming.” It was devastating when Quan’s dad died in a car accident, and then his mom passed away two weeks later. Quan, who was only 15 years old at the time, went to live with an uncle – his only relative. Then Quan’s uncle passed away from lung cancer two years later. Social services placed Quan with a family who were friends of his uncle. Quan says, “They were nice but my relationship with them was really cold and distant. I didn’t really know them that well, so I rarely talked to them.” Quan was unprepared to face life on his own, and he soon became homeless. “I just lived the life I wanted to live, you know. Spent all the money I could because I didn’t really care about my future or anything.” Then, one day, God led Quan to Atlantic City Rescue Mission. He discovered God had a plan for his life – as well as a group of caring friends to serve as a support system. “Now I have a more stable foundation. There’s this unending love from God that, even though I fail, I always have
that support. The chaplains here and the people I work with in the kitchen are close friends. They’re really good people.”
Now I have a more stable foundation. Today, Quan has hope for the future and a strong desire to follow God’s will, no matter where the path might lead him. “I’m getting a deeper part of God’s Word,” he says. “Learning more of what it is to be this loving and caring person that can reach out, help people and not be afraid just to express myself.” Because of your generous support, people like Quan are facing their challenges and being transformed by God’s love here at the Mission. “When I got introduced to the Bible, it really inspired me and touched me. I want to help serve the ministry and share the Word of God. I feel like my situation can give somebody hope.” 3
A MESSAGE FROM DAN BROWN
A TIMELESS CHALLENGE When we first opened our doors in 1964, the gifts of generous friends made it possible to serve greatly needed meals each day to southern New Jersey’s homeless and hungry. Today, your gifts make it possible to serve nearly 530 meals daily, in addition to providing shelter, clothing, counseling, job training, and more services and programs than our founders ever imagined. Yet more local people find themselves in need – and that’s the challenge we face each day. Feeding them. Sheltering them. Caring for their immediate and long-term needs. Sharing God’s love with them. Here’s a great way to help them right now: Faithful partners of the Mission are challenging you to match their generous $150,000 gift with an additional $150,000. That means this entire month, your gift will have double the impact! I hope when you read Quan’s story (on page 3), you’ll see how tremendously his life has been changed by gifts like yours. Now just imagine doubling that impact to touch the lives of others who are hurting and homeless. Atlantic City Rescue Mission has always existed to help people facing huge challenges in their lives. I thank you for your faithful support and pray you’ll continue to provide help and hope for those who come here – today, tomorrow and beyond.
Your Invitation Schedule a tour of the Missio n... see the impact of your gifts! Contact our Director of Development, Howard Hir sch (609) 345-5517, ext. 113 howardhirsch@acrescuemis
sion.org
Please RSVP
!
YOUR GENEROSITY
AT WORK
MAY 2018 16,160
meals served
5,130
nights of shelter Dan Brown President & CEO
105
men & women in our recovery programs
9,900
emergency food baskets from our food pantry Sunny summer days are here… but many in our community are experiencing dark and troubled times.
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This Memorial Day, our 97-day Summer Campaign to care for our community’s homeless and hungry begins.
HOMELESS IN NEW JERSEY P L E A S E H E L P.
Dozens of hours of education & counseling
THANK YOU FOR CHANGING LIVES WITH YOUR GENEROSITY
YOUR GIFT TODAY...
$50 $100 $150
HAS TWICE THE IMPACT!
$100 $200
Did you know that the Mission runs two farms?
More than 30,000 pounds of produce were harvested last year by clients and volunteers, and served right here in the Kitchen and Community Food Basket Programs. To learn more or volunteer, visit: acrescuemission.org/MissionFarms
$300
DEADLINE TO GIVE: MAY 31 Give your most generous gift to match the $150,000 challenge grant from faithful partners like you... for a total of $300,000 to feed and shelter our community’s homeless.
Give now using the enclosed reply card + envelope.
Give securely online at acrescuemission.org.
Thank you for helping to meet this tremendous challenge! VISIT US ONLINE
to read stories of lives you’ve touched, get involved & securely donate anytime.
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$$
DOUBLE MY IMPACT
Dan, here’s my Matching Challenge gift to reach twice as many people with meals, care & hope: m $25 to have an impact of $50 m $50 to have an impact of $100 m $75 to have an impact of $150 m $100 to have an impact of $200 m $_______ to double my impact with the Challenge _________________________________________________________________ NAME
_________________________________________________________________ ADDRESS
Let’s be friends!
acrescuemission.org
m CHECK ENCLOSED m BILL MY CREDIT CARD m
m
m
m
NAME CREDIT CARD # EXP. DATE
PHONE #
Donate now! (609) 345-5517, ext. 116 acrescuemission.org Atlantic City Rescue Mission P.O. Box 5358 Atlantic City, NJ 08404-5358
_________________________________________________________________ CITY / STATE / ZIP
SUM18