Denver Rescue Mission Changing Lives April 2014

122 Years of Service

DenverRescueMission.org

April 2014

JOY in serving

Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.

John 13:14-15

(NIV)

Thanks to your support,

our Easter banquet will be a time of great celebration! Staff and volunteers will spend hours washing the feet of Denver’s most needy. The room will be full of distinct connection across all barriers. The rich and the poor, the whole and the broken, the fed and the hungry will join together for a small, human moment as one serves the other.

JOY in serving

T H E M ISSION W I LL SERV E A DELICIOUS E A ST ER M E A L ON A PR I L 18 T H TO N EE DY M E N, WOM E N A N D CH I L DR E N I N DE N V ER W HO A LL DESERV E A PL ACE TO CELEBR AT E.

The meal will be preceded by a sweet time of worship and communion provided

by Volunteers of America, and children in attendance will receive Easter baskets.

We’re so grateful to Runners Roost for partnering with us to give out brand new socks and shoes for the weary feet of the homeless in our community.

It is only with your support that we will be able to feed and provide services for thousands of hungry and hurting people in our community this Easter season. Please use the enclosed envelope to mail your donation today!

Todd’s Story of Service “ YOU WA LK AWA Y FROM SERV I NG W I T H A W HOLE N E W A PPR ECI AT ION FOR YOU R LI FE A N D E V ER Y T H I NG YOU H AV E.”

As soon as Todd graduated from the New Life Program in 2012, he knew he would do everything it took to come back and work for Denver Rescue Mission. Gone was the shame, doubt and addiction that led him to the Mission two years prior.

Through the program, Todd discovered the unfailing love of Christ as well as God’s plan for his life.

It is a dramatic change for someone who struggled through 19 years of alcohol and drug abuse. His appearance transformed: he has teeth, he stands up straight, he smiles. He speaks differently too, with authority and hope.

But as he talks about his life before the Mission, a cloud covers his eyes and his gaze returns downward. “Meth takes everything. You don’t see it coming,” he says, pausing to wipe away tears, “—it just destroys everything.”

Three years ago, a clean, whole life seemed out of reach for Todd’s family. There was little connecting him to his wife other than their mutual vices. Their children were slipping away. They were all living in a hotel, homeless and without hope.

“I was skeptical when I heard about the Mission’s program.

I felt like it was selfish to be away from my family for up to two years,” Todd remembers. But he realized that his sobriety was the key to keeping his family. He sent his kids to live with their grandmother and his wife went to stay with a friend, trying to find sobriety as well.

Todd received Christ within weeks of living at the Mission.

“The Bible made no sense to me before I came here. The Bible studies and the conversations helped me so much.

My eyes were opened, and I understand it now,” he explains.

With his new faith and outlook on life, he finished the program with one goal: help others.

He spent his first year as a graduate working at a hotel, but constantly checking the Mission’s website to see if there were any job openings.

He would see homeless people on the street and feel drawn to them: “I felt their pain. They are addicted; they can’t fix it.

I made it a point to say hi to homeless guys. I wanted them to hear, ‘You are human; I see you here.’”

Todd applied for a Facility Assistant position at the Mission's emergency shelter, and he was working full-time at Denver Rescue Mission by October 2013. “I know that if someone commits their life to Christ, everything will change for them. If I have an opportunity to share Christ with one person, it’s amazing.” He uses his job as a ministry to serve others. He continues: “A lot of people shy away because homelessness is scary. But it is reality. You walk away from serving with a whole new appreciation for your life.”

Todd has focused his life on others and in turn, he’s found his own life again: “My wife and I are finally getting back together—it’s been such a blessing. We didn’t see our marriage ever working before, but I feel like we’re in love again.”

There are little things that Todd does to ensure that he keeps the life he has worked so hard for. He remains close with his roommate from The Crossing. “We still text each other every morning to keep ourselves accountable,” he explains. Todd could have let his past define his future, allowing his confidence to be shattered and preventing him from pursuing a life of service. But he did the opposite.

“I don’t look at my past as being disappointing; I see it as a training course. It helps me understand what the guys are going through. Hopefully I can be a role model. If I can do it, then anybody can do it.”

To post a note of encouragement for Todd on the Mission's Facebook page, visit facebook.com/DenverRescue.

From the CEO Dear Friends, This winter has been a particularly demanding one with more men coming to us for overnight beds at our Lawrence Street Shelter than ever before. In addition to the 315 men who stay at Lawrence Street, another 164 spend the night at an emergency shelter we opened for the City. Transported from our Lawrence Street Shelter after having checked in and eaten dinner there, these men travel in three busloads to our Administrative building to spend the night on mats. Each morning, beginning before sunrise, the bus makes three more trips to take the men back to Lawrence Street where we provide them with a warm breakfast.

The exceptional number of men seeking shelter this winter has also caused us to open up our dining room at The Crossing to shelter up to 50 men brought to us in a fourth and final bus load of the evening. Never before have we seen such a need. Frankly, we are not sure what has caused this increase. Is it the economy, more men caught in addiction, or perhaps people flowing into the state looking for new jobs only to discover that housing is too expensive? Anecdotally, we believe some people are coming from out-ofstate due to the legalization of marijuana and this burgeoning, one billion dollar industry. Whatever the reason, it has taxed our ability, and that of our City, to provide enough shelter to keep people in a dry and warm place.

The increase this winter has us wondering what the summer influx of out-of-state transients might mean to our normal shelter requirements. We believe that the emergency situation we find ourselves in will continue.

We want you to know that we are not planning to rest; we are not taking off our backpacks. As long as we are needed by the City, as long as the community continues to support us in helping people, as long as this work is about eternity and changing lives in the name of Christ, we will tighten up the straps on our backpacks and continue the journey. Thank you for walking with us; it is a joy to be serving!

God Bless,

Brad Meuli President/CEO

Keep Talking!

Continue the conversation with us on our social media sites: Twitter: @DenverRescue Facebook: facebook.com/DenverRescue Pinterest: pinterest.com/DenverRescue Youtube: youtube.com/user/DenverRescueMission Blog: blog.DenverRescueMission.com Join the conversation as we share stories of change from the Mission along with insights on issues around homelessness. We would love to hear more from you about how you serve the homeless in your community, what stories inspire you and how we can work together to meet the needs of the homeless!

Check our Facebook page to see photos and videos about our staff, interns, volunteers, and program participants. Visit our Twitter page to get up-to-date information about the Mission’s needs and opportunities where you can help. And pin encouraging ways to serve your community better! blog.DenverRescueMission.com

Harvest Farm 5K 2014 Join us on Saturday, May 17th, 2014 at Harvest Farm for the most beautiful cross-country run/walk you can find in Northern Colorado.

This unique course will lead you through a 209-acre farm atop dirt roads, winding through scenic countryside. The cows will “moo” their encouragement along the way, with the chickens and goats chiming in. Follow the smell of fresh, homemade kettle corn to the finish line!

Where: Harvest Farm 4240 E. County Road 66 Wellington, CO 80549 When: Registration: 7:00 to 8:30 a.m.

Race Start: 8:30 a.m.

For more information and to register, please visit: DenverRescueMission.org/farm5k2014.

Mission Events

Statistics

(Fiscal Year) How You Help

Easter Celebration Friday, April 18th Lawrence Street Shelter 1130 Park Avenue West 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

For more information, contact Josh at JLittlejohn@DenRescue.org.

Harvest Farm 5K 2014 Saturday, May 17th Harvest Farm Wellington, CO Registration: 7:00 to 8:30 a.m.

Race Start: 8:30 a.m.

For more information or to register, please visit: DenverRescueMission.org/farm5k2014.

FEBRUARY

YTD

Meals served

47,046

398,157

Beds

26,197

199,893

Chapel attendance

5,693

12,433

Clothing (lbs.)

24,333

139,426

Chiropractic

102

624

Dental

205

1,523

Medical

524

4,817

Optical

311

2,517

Our Outreaches

Greatest Needs

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

Champa House: Paper towels, toilet paper, bleach, laundry detergent, dish soap, antibacterial hand soap, Clorox wipes, all-purpose cleaner, sponges and dish scrubbers, and a lot of baby wipes. For more information, please call Amy at 303.294.9961.

Fort Collins Rescue Mission: Emergency care: meals, overnight shelter; and transitional program.

Family Rescue Ministry: Eleven mentor teams to meet with homeless families over 6 months in Lakewood, Littleton, Thornton, and Commerce City. To mentor, please call Andrew at 303.331.2902.

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

Vehicle Donations: Vehicles, running or not! For more information, please call Pierce at 303.331.2938.

Clinic: Dentists with dental assistants; over-the-counter medications such as Advil, Tylenol and cough drops; volunteer optometrists and medical doctors; new reading glasses; new eyeglass frames; eyeglass cases. For more information, please call Melanie at 303.294.0157 x2103.

Client Services: Mattresses (twin, full and queen), furniture of all kinds, blankets, diapers of all sizes, and all basic hygiene items. For more information, please call Tanner at 303.331.2934.

Harvest Farm: Work clothing for our participants, including: coats, pants, heavy clothing, boots, and gloves. Also hay, livestock feed, books, and classroom furniture. For more information, please call Duncan at 970.568.9803.

Lawrence Street Shelter: Eggs, breakfast meats, ground beef, syrup, oatmeal, grits, fresh produce, and forks. For more information, please email Jeremy at JQuattlebaum@DenRescue.org.

Family Services: Mentors for homeless men, women, youth, families, and refugees. For more information, please call Tom at 303.953.3939.

LifeSkills, Education and Career Center: Pocket-sized dictionaries.

For more information, please call Mark at 303.953.3918.

Harvest Farm: Long-term New Life rehabilitation program, farming and ranching operation, food and clothing distribution, and Fall Festival.

The Crossing: Long-term New Life rehabilitation program, transitional program for New Life graduates and homeless families, temporary housing for interns and visitors.

Ministry Outreach Center: Warehouse facilities; food, clothing and household goods distribution.

Family Services: Transitional program; 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.

Director of Communications: Christine Gallamore Designer: Rachel Vigil Writer: Rachel Greiman P.O. Box 5164 • Denver, CO 80217 • 303.297.1815

blog.DenverRescueMission.com