Downtown Rescue Mission January 2017 Newsletter

January 2017 downtownrescuemission.org

EXPANDING OUR MINISTRIES Page 2

PREVENT WINTER ILLNESS Page 2

BUILDING HOPE Page 3

CARTS4HEARTS Flap

NO DROP OFF Page 4

2017 EVENTS Page 4

GOD IS ON THE MOVE Page 3

Expanding Our Ministries

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saiah 25:4 “For you have been a defense for the helpless, a defense for the needy in their distress, a shelter from the storm, a shade from the heat.”

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.

Since moving from our old location on 9th Ave over nine years ago, I have seen a dramatic increase in the number of women and women with children needing our services. We have met or exceeded our capacity many times during those years. A year after moving to our current campus, God laid it on my heart for the Mission to have a separate larger facility for women and children.

With our current facility overflowing, the DRM Board voted two years ago to start a quiet phase of the “Building Hope” campaign. At this point we have raised over $4.8 million dollars of a $7+ million dollar building campaign. My staff, board and donors have personally invested in this project and have shared in the vision to build this modern facility for women and children.

The project will take about one year to complete the 30,000 square foot unit and it will more than double our capacity to about 200. It will also allow us to provide more in-depth programs for the moms and kids.

Last month was one of my proudest moments in my 17 years at the Downtown Rescue Mission when we official broke ground on Owen’s House for women and children! We are starting the project by faith that God will inspire this community to finish this campaign and support its ongoing operational needs so that we can continue to share God’s love with any woman or child that is in need of help.

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Keith Overholt, MBA President/CEO

MISSION MOMENTS

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5 WAYS TO PREVENT WINTER ILLNESS

old and flu season may be upon us, but that doesn’t mean your family has to succumb to drainage, sniffles, coughs, and achy awfulness. Below are tips to stay healthy during the winter months, according to an article on parenting.com.

1. Pump Up Nutrition: The evidence is clear that both “adults and kids need a diverse diet” filled with “fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and protein to keep immunity high. Go for nutritional superstars, orange and yellow produce, such as butternut and acorn squash, sweet potatoes, carrots, brightly colored kiwis, mangoes, clementines, and pink grapefruit.”

2. Get Outdoors: Research shows “that spending time outside can promote better sleep, boost overall wellness, and may improve your mood. Being outdoors in daylight for as little as twenty minutes a day can make a big difference in raising your energy level and preventing winter blues”.

3. Get Your ZZZZ’s: “Some studies show that being sleep-deprived limits the body’s natural killercell activity (white blood cells), which help battle disease,” says Michael Bonnet, Ph.D., director of the sleep laboratory at the Dayton Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

4. Ease Stress: “Close quarters and snow days can get to even the calmest of people and leave your body and brain stressed out. ‘There’s extensive research showing that stress is a primary factor in susceptibility to colds and gastrointestinal disorders and may be a contributor to chronic pain syndromes, such as arthritis,’ says Henry Dreher, author of The Immune Power Personality.

5. Exercise: “Get moving. Regular, moderate exercise — aerobic or strength training — can improve the quality of sleep, lift your mood, and help you battle winter weight gain. ‘It’s probably the single best way to keep your energy up and your stress level down, which is doubly important during cold and flu season,’ says Ray Sahelian, M.D., a family physician and author of The Common Cold Cure.”

God is On the Move

Experiencing Newness of Life in Christ

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y name is Michael Jordan but I didn’t play for the Chicago Bulls or Birmingham Barons. I’m a resident in the Mission’s discipleship program. I’ve been here for six months and became a Christian when I was twenty-eight years old. God has been so good and gracious to me, but I continued to battle against drinking and drugs. I came here knowing I needed help and that I couldn’t overcome my addictions alone. Honestly, I wrestled for several days before I committed to a year long program and journey.

It might sound like a religious cliché, but I desperately needed to trust God and put aside my plans for my life.

In other words, I needed to believe that His purpose for my life was fantastically better than anything I could come up with on my own. I needed Peace. The program studies all point to Jesus Christ and the things He taught. Our daily routines provide the perfect place to practice them.

I believe that a lot of my growth occurs in the little things every day. I’m grateful to work in the men’s emergency shelter while in the program and try to be an encourager to the men coming off the street. That job alone is worth it all.

I have an awesome family that I love and who love me back better. I’m really thankful for my daughter; we’ve become closer than ever and I’m amazed at the conversations we share. God’s timing is perfect. I will end my testimony by saying that I thank God for DRM. God is here and working if you’re looking for Him. I can’t wait to see what is ahead. There is a new building under construction for women, children, and families and I know God is going to use this ministry to show His love for people.

Building Hope For Those Who Need It Most

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n Thursday, November 17, 2016, years of fervent prayer came a step closer to being fully answered when the Mission’s board members, CEO, VPs, and senior staff broke ground to build Owen’s House, our new women and children’s facility. The completion of this project will allow the Mission to continue to provide emergency shelter, recovery programs, and transitional housing to an everincreasing number of women and children who are seeking shelter… and Hope. The facility will be over 30,000 sq. feet and include: over 200 beds for women and children, commercial kitchen, communal dining room and chapel, library and computer learning center, beauty salon, medical room, laundry rooms, kids’ play areas, infant nursery, living areas, counseling offices, administrative offices, classrooms,

exercise room, enclosed outdoor courtyards, and security station. Our goal is to have Owen’s House ready for operation early 2018.

A few creative ways to join the Mission team and support this project are: host a gathering, volunteer your time, schedule a visit, make a gift, give stock, see if your company has matching gifts, and adopt a room. Naming opportunities also exist for our new facility. For more information and a list of those opportunities not yet reserved, please contact Lisa Young, Sr. Director of Development, at (256) 7134329 or lisa@downtownrescuemission.org.

EVENTS TUESDAY, JANUARY 24:

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

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 11:

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

FRIDAY, APRIL 14:

Good Friday Service in the chapel 10:00 a.m.

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!

WHAT IS CARTS4HEARTS? FEBRUARY 11TH, 2017—A

loose parody of a famous Alaska dog sled race, we take the format and mix it up.

Replace the dogs with people (you and your friends) and the sleds with shopping carts, add in team themes, costumes, contests, fundraising and food drives… and we get the Carts4Hearts adventure race.

Hundreds of women, men, teenagers, superheroes, rock bands, Greeks, elephants, tigers, volunteers, and excited philanthropists gather to create this amazingly unique costumed charity shopping cart race of epic proportions — Carts4Hearts. Here’s what the event consists of: 30 teams of 6 heavilycostumed humanoids, raising Food and Funds for the purpose of changing lives of the homeless and hurting in Huntsville, all while racing tricked-out shopping carts through the frigid streets of downtown Huntsville. There’s no event like this anywhere in the South.

If you like road races, adventures and costumes, you’ll love the Carts4Hearts.

For more information contact Tonia.

Beverly@downtownrescuemission.org or go to www.carts4hearts.tk

3-2-1 GO! 2017 goals are: 30 teams, $20,000 raised and 10,000 pounds of food!

Teams = 30 $$ = $20,000 Food = 10,000 lbs Per Team $666 / 333lbs Per Person $111 / 55.5lbs

NO DROP OFF

CONSISTENTLY CARING FOR HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE

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any people have the tendency to think about nonprofits primarily during Easter and year-end holiday months, maybe because some organizations are busier during these times.

Unlike other nonprofits, the Mission no longer experiences “drop off” months as we did years ago. In comparing 2015 and 2016, the Mission cared for an average of twenty-seven more people every month in 2016 (220 average per night compared to 193).

Your faithful, monthly gifts ensure every person who comes to us gets the care and provision they desperately need. Thank you for being friends we can count on to provide what’s needed to run this ministry!

2017 FUNDRAISING EVENTS SAVE THE DATE! 02/11/17 05/08/17 08/05/17 10/20/17

Carts4Hearts Adventure Race, www.carts4hearts.tk DRM Golf Classic Tournament Run to Rescue 5k Glow Edition 3rd Annual Shoot 4 Shelter Tournament

Links to events are located at the following webpage: https://downtownrescuemission.org/get-involved/events/events-calendar/.

If you are interested in community involvement and marketing at these events, please contact Tonia Beverly at (256) 713-4343 or tonia@downtownrescuemission.org.

HELPING CHANGE LIVES EVERY DAY!

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Statistics for November 2016 Meals Served – 22,453 Lodging – 6,855 Food Boxes – 646 Spiritual Decisions – 18 Into Permanent Housing – 19

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