Changing Lives Newsletter April 2011

119 Years of Service

www.DenverRescueMission.org

April 2011

N ourish the Body

Feed

the Soul

Feed the hungry! Help those in trouble!

Then your light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around you shall be as bright as day.

Isaiah 58:10 (TLB)

“Sometimes, if I didn’t make it to a shelter, I’ve had to eat out of a dumpster. It didn’t feel good .” ~ Lance, homeless since 2006

From

Hunger

Hope

If you can’t feed a hundred people, then just feed one.” ~ Mother Teresa

to

F or the poor and homeless, hunger is more than an empty stomach. It’s an invisible enemy they fight on a daily basis. Besides the gnawing stomach pains and diminished energy, hunger drives the shame many in our community feel when digging through dumpsters or asking strangers for their next meal.

We often don’t know how those we feed came to be our guests, or if they’ll be back, but we do know that the link between a warm meal and hope is real. We see it every day in the smiles of people eating at our emergency shelter and the joy of families coming together over dinner at The Crossing.

Thank you for helping the Mission continue to serve thousands, both in our programs and on the streets. Your support reminds the hungry that someone cares!

Stephen

Lawrence Street Shelter A frequent guest of the Lawrence Street Shelter, Stephen has gained back the nearly 25 pounds he lost after moving to Denver and becoming homeless. “I didn’t know where help was when I came here, and I went ten days without much food,” he explains. “It’s a good feeling to know I can come here and eat when I have nowhere else to go.”

April

Food Box

After her electricity was turned off, April’s dwindling food supply quickly spoiled. Thankfully, she was able to receive a much-needed food box at our Lawrence Street Shelter. “I wouldn’t have food sometimes if the Mission didn’t help me,” says April, who lost both legs several years ago. “I’m just glad I can come here; this place has always been so nice to me.”

STAR Transitional Housing Program

Before moving to The Crossing, STAR Transitional Housing Program resident Tamara struggled to shield son Aiden from the effects of hunger.

“Sometimes I wouldn’t be able to eat for a few days after feeding him and paying the rent. It’s such a weight off my shoulders to be here and not have to wonder if I’ll even have the money to buy him milk,” she says gratefully.

More Than An

Empty Stomach ~~

Tamara & Aiden

• One in eight households in Colorado don’t always know where they will find their next meal.1

• Low-income children classified as

“hungry” are significantly more likely to receive special education, repeat a grade in school and receive mental health counseling than those classified as “not hungry.”2

• Child hunger costs the U.S. economy at least $28 billion per year because poorly nourished children perform less well in school and require far more long-term health care spending.3

Melvin

New Life Program For New Life Program participant Melvin (pictured on cover), the benefits of three daily meals follow him into The Crossing’s classrooms. “Being hungry in the past was painful and made me weak,” he reflects. “Now I’m able to sit in class and learn because I’m not so hungry my stomach feels like it’s touching my spine,” the aspiring addictions counselor says.

Melvin also enjoys having dinner with his mentor Brett, who lends his support to the program participant once a week.

Thank you for helping the Mission fight hunger with hope. Your support reminds the hungry that someone cares!

1) http://www.foodbankrockies.org/site/ PageServer?pagename=About_Hungerfacts 2) http://www.apa.org/pi/families/poverty.aspx 3) http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2010/03/end_ child_hunger.html

Non-Profit of the Year Award!

From the CEO Dear Friends, Have you ever been hungry? I mean really hungry, not just “my stomach is growling and I have not had lunch yet” hungry. I mean the kind of hungry you feel when you have not eaten in several days, and you are not sure where your next meal is coming from. If you are like me, you’d probably admit that you have felt hungry before, but always knew you would eat soon. I would even confess that I get kind of angry when I am hungry. I can become irritable, and until I eat, I am not always the happiest person to be around! But the simple truth is, I have never been really hungry, wondering if I would ever eat again.

The people who come to us at the Mission often experience hunger in ways we can only imagine. The meals we provide are a start to helping our friends satisfy not only their physical hunger for food, but their hunger for a different life as well. When folks have eaten, they can begin to think about other needs they may have. What they need to do next may become clearer, and just at that point, the Mission is there to help. This is why we often say, “It all begins with a meal.”

I have been asked before if the Denver Rescue Mission requires a hungry person to listen to preaching before they eat. The answer is no. If change in someone’s heart is going to take place, it will be after hunger in the stomach subsides. We welcome anyone who wants to come and eat at the Mission. Each night, local churches provide a worship service, but no one has to sit through it in order to eat. We want to show compassion and Jesus’ love to others; we are not interested in “hitting anyone over the head” with a “big black Bible.” We believe we are called to love all those who walk through our door, and to try to develop a relationship that will lead to people’s lives being changed by the redeeming power of Christ.

It all begins with a meal.

God bless!

Brad Meuli

Brad Meuli, President and CEO of the Denver Rescue Mission (center), proudly holds the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Denver’s inaugural Non-Profit of the Year Award.

The award was presented at the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce’s Silver Anniversary Business Awards Luncheon on March 3rd. Joining him in this celebration are Mayor Bill Vidal (far right); Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors members Debbie Trujillo (second from the right) and Denise Waddell (second from the left); and Hispanic Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Jeffrey Campos (far left).

Summer of Hope Online Auction Clear Channel Denver and the Denver Rescue Mission are kicking off the Summer of Hope campaign for May through August 2011 with a Summer of Hope Online Auction from May 22nd–May 26th. This auction will feature high valued items that you can get for bargain prices. Homelessness does not take a summer vacation, and your help is needed now more than ever. Visit DenverRescueMission.org to bid and help those most in need in our community. For more information, please call Greta Walker @ 303.313.2410.

Thank You, Colorado Business Leaders!

In honor of Presidents’ Day, fourteen presidents and vicepresidents from Colorado businesses skipped their lunch break to serve hot meals to the poor and homeless at the Mission’s Lawrence Street Shelter on Thursday, February 18th. Thank you to these community leaders who have come alongside Denver Rescue Mission to change lives and support lasting solutions to end hunger and homelessness.

Front Row Left to Right: Maria Garcia Berry (CRL Associates), Kristen Anderson (Wells Fargo), Deanne Ostertag (Wells Farg), Kelly Brough (Denver Metro Chamber), Todd Kulmann (Blue Onion), Jim Martin (Kroenke Sports Enterprises), Brad Meuli (Denver Rescue Mission). Back Row Left to Right: Deb Dowling (Kroenke Sports Enterprises), Jim Kellogg (Colorado Rockies Baseball Club), Jim Jensen (Carpet Mill), David Bloom (Stinkin Good Green Chile), Gary Foreman (Old Chicago), Dick Monfort (Colorado Rockies Baseball Club), Griff Freyschlag (Denver Rescue Mission). Not pictured: Tami Door (Downtown Denver Partnership), Toby Tobin (Xerox).

Statistics

Mission Events Easter Celebration In partnership with Volunteers of America and Runners Roost Friday, April 22nd Lawrence Street Shelter 1130 Park Avenue West For more information, contact Breanne at BGabel@denrescue.org or 303.313.2462.

Community Support

How You Help

February

Meals served 40,253 Beds 14,197 Chapel attendance 6,256 Food boxes distributed 68 Furniture (households) 80 Clothing (lbs.)

22,521 Chiropractic 0 Dental 171 Medical 314 Optical

Cherry Hills Community Church Easter Celebration Attend the 22nd Annual Cherry Hills Community Church Easter Celebration on Sunday, April 24th at Comfort Dental Amphitheater (formerly Fiddler’s Green), and partner with the Denver Rescue Mission to collect hygiene items for the poor and homeless. The celebration will feature an Easter message by senior pastor, Dr. Jim Dixon, and will be offered via live simulcast to those watching at the Cherry Hills Community church auditorium. Enjoy music by the 250 voice choir, worship band and special musical guest, Nicole C. Mullen. Amphitheater doors open at 9 a.m.

Our Outreaches

Please bring the following donations to place in bins located at entrances to the amphitheater and church: deodorant, shampoo, shaving cream, disposable razors, wrapped bars of soap,toothbrushes and toothpaste.

Champa House

For more information, please call Lisette at 303.313.2414.

Non-Profit of the Match! Show your support for the Mission and cheer on the Colorado Rapids Sunday, July 3rd, at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park! Tickets for the 7 p.m. game and Colorado’s largest fireworks show afterward are available for $25, exclusively for DRM supporters. Five dollars from every ticket sold helps end hunger and homelessness in our community! To purchase tickets, please visit http://www.pepsicenter.com/ groups/rapids/DenverRescueMission.

Your Lucky Deals selected the Denver Rescue Mission as one of four charities to support over the next six months through its daily deals service.

Your Lucky Deals is strongly committed to supporting local charities.

When you purchase a deal, choose the Denver Rescue Mission upon checkout and Your Lucky Deals will personally donate 10% of the daily deal proceeds. Please visit www.yourluckydeals.com to learn more and sign up for email updates for deals at great local businesses.

The future is what you make of it.

In considering your plans for the future, you may not only be thinking about how to help your family and save on estates taxes, but also how you might benefit your favorite charitable organization. A charitable bequest is one of the easiest gifts to make. You can create a bequest of any dollar amount, gift specific property or designate a percentage of your estate in your will or trust plan. To learn more, visit our website at www.DenverRescueMission.org/giftplanning, or contact Alice by phone at 303.313.2487 or e-mail at acavanaugh@denrescue.org.

174

YTD 84,698 30,075 14,170 180 174 31,405 39 287 579 359

Lawrence Street Shelter

Emergency care: meals, overnight shelter, free health care, food box and clothing distribution.

Residential facility offering long-term help toward self-sufficiency to single mothers with dependent children.

Harvest Farm

Long-term New Life rehabilitation program, farming and ranching operation, food and clothing distribution, youth camp, and maze.

The Crossing

Long-term New Life rehabilitation program; transitional housing for program graduates and homeless families; temporary housing for interns and visitors.

Ministry Outreach Center

Administrative and warehouse facilities; food, clothing and household goods distribution.

Family Services

Transitional housing; assistance for permanent housing; mentoring for homeless working families, seniors and refugee families.

Global Ministry Outreach

Consultation, resources and support to city/rescue missions around the world.

Changing Lives is the monthly news publication of Denver Rescue Mission

Publications Manager: Christine Gallamore • Designer: Kirstin Johnson • Writer: Nicole Vaiana

P.O. Box 5164 • Denver, CO 80217 • 303.297.1815 www.DenverRescueMission.org

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