Downtown Rescue Mission February 2017 Newsletter

February 2017

downtownrescuemission.org

LIVES TRANSFORMED Page 2

RENOVATION PROJECT IN NEED OF A SPONSOR Page 2

EXPONENTIAL GROWTH

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KITCHEN UTENSIL AND SUPPLY NEED Flap

DNOW WEEKEND DONATION DRIVE Page 4

REFUGE 2017

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A HEART OF HOPE

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LIVES TRANSFORMED

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othing warms my heart more than attending the Mission’s graduation ceremonies. It truly is the culmination of the hard work by both my staff and the men and women who are in the program.

In its 42 years the Downtown Rescue Mission has been a lighthouse to thousands of lives that have been battered by the storms of life. Over those years, men, women and children have found a safe shelter at the Mission. Last year, DRM fed over 250,000 meals and over 1,500 different individuals stayed on our campus.

The DRM ministry team works hand in hand with the program to minister, mentor and motivate the folks to be successful during the year-long recovery program.

It takes a great operations team who keeps up the buildings and grounds to have a safe clean atmosphere to learn in. Many do not realize, but if it was not for DRM’s seven thrift stores and each of their employees, who help provide funding through the sales generated at each location, the program would not be as fully funded. And I always have to thank my admin and fundraising departments for the tremendous work they do as part of this great team of over 100 total employees.

A few weeks back at our last graduation, many of the employees were there cheering on the program folks as some for the first time in their life received a diploma.

You could see the tears of joy that many had, knowing that even though they were not “hands on” with the program, that each had a part in the lives being changed through this ministry. Thank you to all my staff who works tirelessly to make this all possible.

If you have ever volunteered, shopped at one of our stores and/or donated, you should have the same sense of joy knowing that men and women are coming to know Christ as their Savior and then after graduating, leaving the Mission with their lives transformed. And without your support none of this would be possible.

Thank you!

RENOVATION PROJECT IN NEED OF A SPONSOR

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hen we were blessed with our current campus over eight years ago, we acquired a home on the back part of our property. We have used this home to house men who have graduated from our recovery program and are working and saving up money. One of the two bathrooms has been gutted down to the studs and we are in need of a sponsor to remodel it. As soon as this bathroom is remodeled, the bathroom currently being used will need the same attention.

Specifically, a sponsor will cover: • Drywall/insulation • Possibly new PVC piping • Flooring • Sink • Shower • Cabinets • Fixtures • Toilet • Towel rack(s) • Lighting and possibly electrical work • Other installation materials such as caulk and sealant • Volunteers for install

Keith Overholt, MBA President/CEO

MISSION MOMENTS

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If you’re interested in sponsoring this much needed project, please contact Corey at 256-7134316 or corey@downtownrescuemission.org. He’d be happy to schedule a site visit to see the bathroom firsthand.

A HEART OF HOPE

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y name is Jamie Martin and I came to the Mission in January 2016. I struggled with my addiction for thirteen years. Whether it was pot, pills, meth, or cocaine, honestly, if I got it in my hands I did it. While I was homeless, I lived in a car or stayed with people. I was unable to hold down a job for long. My life was a vicious merry-go-round that got me nowhere. When an addiction gets a hold of you, it doesn’t want to let go. I finally got to the point of being tired of being tired. Now I know without a doubt that God was working through people to get me where I needed to be.

“God has restored me and my family, who thought I would never get out of addiction.”

Since I’ve been at the Mission, God has brought me from death and darkness to life and light. God’s grace is precious and abundant every day. I try to be better than I was yesterday. I get the opportunity to tell my story to other women so they can see there is hope and not to give up. Yet, they have to want to change and surrender it all to God. Recovery takes hard work, but it is the most beautiful transformation of how God can give life back into someone who is dead.

God has restored me and my family, who thought I would never get out of addiction. I want to work with people struggling with addiction as I did. With Christ in me, I can do anything. I will never forget from where God has brought me. He gets all the glory in everything I do because without Him I am nothing. I graduated from the Mission’s recovery program January 2017. Thank you for reading my story. I hope it encourages you to follow Christ more deeply. We are not promised tomorrow so live fully for God each day.

EXPONENTIAL GROWTH

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he heart of the Mission has always been to lead people to Christ while caring for all of their needs. When we moved residents and overnight guests to our new campus in 2009, Westminster Christian Academy’s former chorus and band room had been transformed into our Agape Shoppe. This room is dedicated to providing free monthly clothing to people who stay with us and those living in our community, many of which are heading toward homelessness themselves. In addition to free clothing, the Mission’s outreach ministry includes free daily food bags to those in our community needing food assistance.

Over the last year, the Mission has made intentional and purposeful strides to expand its reach and not only be Huntsville centric in regard to its outreach ministry. We have done this because those who need help are often unable to make it to our campus to receive the aide. In the

last thirteen months, we have opened additional food bag ministries in our Albertville, Athens, and Decatur Thrift Stores so individuals in these communities can receive help without worrying about how they can make it to our main campus in Huntsville.

Both of these areas within out outreach ministry grew exponentially in 2016. Articles of clothing distributed went from 25,338 in 2015 to 41,950 in 2016. Pounds of food distributed through our food bag ministries rose from 33,000 lbs. in 2015 to *85,000 lbs. in 2016. Because we are investing more attention and energy into helping people throughout northern Alabama and southern Tennessee, many more people are receiving the resources they need to avoid homelessness and begin an upward trajectory out of poverty. None of this growth would be possible without the many individuals, families, companies, and groups who donate gifts in kind, like clothing and food, every week.

Thank you for giving and blessing thousands of local people in need every year! *This number only reflects food given away in our free daily food bags and doesn’t include the thousands of pounds of food given to area ministries, nonprofits, and other organizations every week.

EVENTS SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 11:

2nd Annual Carts 4 Hearts Adventure 5k, downtown Huntsville

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 11:

2nd Annual Carts 4 Hearts Adventure 5k, downtown Huntsville

FRIDAY, MARCH 25:

Refuge Women’s Conference 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. $25 per person

FRIDAY, APRIL 14:

Resurrection Banquet in the dining hall 8:00 – 9:00 a.m. decorating and 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. banquet lunch meal

TUESDAY, APRIL 18:

DRM Graduation in our gym 4:30 p.m. dinner and 5:00 p.m. ceremony

STAY CONNECTED Donate Online at: downtownrescuemission.org/ donate Follow us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter: DowntownRes.Mission @GivePeopleHope Using your app, take a picture of the QR code to easily go to our website on your phone or tablet!

KITCHEN UTENSIL AND SUPPLY NEED When you serve over 22,000 meals a month, you’re bound to need some kitchen utensils and supplies! Below is a list of items that we normally don’t get through donations but are needed for our kitchen and dining hall on an ongoing basis:

Metal eating forks

Metal eating spoons

Drink pitchers

Napkins

Grits

Oatmeal (not packets)

White sugar

Pepper

Onion Powder

Garlic Powder

For more information, please contact John at 256-713-4311 or john.niemeyer@ downtownrescuemission.org.

DNOW WEEKEND DONATION DRIVE “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations…” Matthew 28:18b-19a

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ill your church’s middle/high school ministries host or participate in a Disciple Now (DNOW) event in 2017? If so, we’d love to be a part of your event! We are in need of toiletry items, wash cloths, bath towels, twin size bedsheets, and/or nonperishable food items. It’s totally up to your church on how you collect donations. Some ideas include: Youth groups from different churches competing against each other or one (or more) of the needed items being a part of the student’s entry fee. We can also send a representative to briefly share about the Mission’s purpose, impact, and more ways youth groups and families can volunteer throughout the year.

The word “go” in the above verse literally means “as you go”. As you go to this event to grow as a disciple of Christ and be further equipped to make disciples of Christ yourself, will you prayerfully consider helping this ministry care for some of the most broken and vulnerable people in our community by collecting for us much needed items?

For more information, please contact Corey at 256-713-4316 or corey@downtownrescuemission.org.

SAVE THE DATE!

REFUGE 2017

A Conference for busy women seeking God

March 25, 2017 • 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

DRM Main Campus • 1400 Evangel Drive NW, Huntsville

HELPING CHANGE LIVES EVERY DAY!

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Year-End Statistics for 2016 Meals Served – 271,562 Lodging – 80,568 Food Boxes – 7,254 Spiritual Decisions – 179 Into Permanent Housing – 183

YES!

I will help the Downtown Rescue Mission care for the homeless/hurting people of our community!

Here’s my gift of: n $50 n $100 n $250 n $_____________

To give a gift by credit card, visit us online at www.downtownrescuemission.org or call 256-536-2441.

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@ EMAIL The Downtown Rescue Mission is fully financially accountable and invites anyone to inspect our financial records during business hours.

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Send with check to: Downtown Rescue Mission 1400 Evangel Drive, Huntsville, AL 35816