His Path For Me - Mission Moments June '19

JUNE 2019

His Path FOR ME

FAT HERING T HE B KEITH OVERHOLT, MBA President/CEO

“HEAR, MY SON, AND ACCEPT MY SAYINGS. AND THE YEARS OF YOUR LIFE WILL BE MANY. I HAVE DIRECTED YOU IN THE WAY OF WISDOM; I HAVE LED YOU IN UPRIGHT PATHS. WHEN YOU WALK, YOUR STEPS WILL NOT BE IMPEDED; AND IF YOU RUN, YOU WILL NOT STUMBLE.” PROVERBS 4:10-12

eing a father is a huge responsibility that does not come with manuals or instructions and can only be learned through on the job training. Luckily, I have a great Christian dad that through the years has been a good Christian example for me in my own fatherhood. As a child he spent time with me, playing with me, loving me, teaching me and correcting me. He made sure I knew how to be a successful Christian man in this sinful world and to deal with life and its many twists and turns. Thanks dad! And happy Father’s Day! I have two daughters, Marylee, who will soon be 11 and Kristin, who will be 9 in October. There isn’t anything I would not do for my girls!

What joy it is to see my daughters learn, grow and mature into young adults. It makes me think of our heavenly Father who must take great joy in seeing His children learn, grow and mature in their walk with Him. At the Downtown Rescue Mission we are teaching and training

Fathers

men, women and children that God, their Heavenly Father, loves them, cares for them and corrects them because He wants them to believe in Him and have a relationship with Him. Many of our guests do not completely understand that dynamic because many never had a father figure in their life or their father was not a good example of what a father should be.

Please keep the ministries of the Mission in your prayers as we continue to reach out with our Heavenly Father’s love to all who come to us in need. And pray for the many fathers that are at the Mission that we can help train them to be Godly men and fathers to their children. Proverbs 22:6 says, “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.”

Happy Father’s Day!

New Playgrounds S

ince the opening of Owen’s House we have been praying for funds to provide our children with a playground area to enjoy during their time at the Mission.

Thanks to generous donors, the children staying in the LIFE Recovery Program and in emergency services have beautiful new playgrounds in the courtyard just in time for summer!

The Mission is so grateful for the donors that provided these beautiful playgrounds!

Every time you give a gift to Downtown Rescue Mission, you help bring joy and hope to men, women, and children using our services.

Learn more about how you can help at www.downtownrescuemission.org

His Path FOR ME

“AND WE KNOW THAT IN ALL THINGS GOD WORKS FOR THE GOOD OF THOSE WHO LOVE HIM, WHO HAVE BEEN CALLED ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE.”

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ROMANS 8:28

y name is Christian Beverly, I am 19 years old, and a follower of Christ. I was born in Florida, but moved to Alabama to fix my life, not knowing what God had in store for me.

My road to the Mission began in 10th grade. After a fallout with my mother, I moved into a friends house and began abusing opiates. In a rapid chain of events, my situation and the toll it was taking, resulted in an attempted suicide. In the ICU of the hospital I spoke to my mother about how I was feeling, and in the two days that followed I was diagnosed bipolar type 1.

From age 15 to 17 I wound up in the behavioral ward 3 times. After so many times, my mom gave her rights to the Department of Children and Families and they placed me into foster care. I never stopped abusing drugs and alcohol throughout this time. I decided to make change, so when I turned 18 and was out of foster care I moved to Florence, Alabama.

I ended up in Lauderdale County jail for breaking into cars while on Xanax and alcohol. It was there I read the bible for the first time and God began to lead me down a path to His kingdom. He showed me what it felt like to be loved while I was experiencing true loneliness.

One year later, at age 19, I had my second run in with the police. I didn’t know it, but this experience was leading me to the Mission.

After being released with charges of criminal trespassing and public intoxication I went to a behavioral center and began looking at recovery options. It was like the words popped up out of the page, “Faith-based recovery program!” I got a ride to the Mission and stayed in the emergency shelter for 4 weeks while waiting for an opening the program, and I’m glad I did.

I’m now 5 months clean, through His will. I am learning, and feeling the love of Christ more than ever before. I am learning to let go and understand that only the Lord knows his plans for me (Jeremiah 29:11), and he knew all along the way. I am grateful for my time at the Mission and am excited to continue walking the path he has chosen for me.

https://donate.downtownrescuemission.org

MISSION IN MY WORDS

THE ARC OF MADISON COUNTY W H AT DOE S VOL UN T EE RING ME A N T O A P E R S ON W I T H A DI S A BIL I T Y ?

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olunteering is a great way for people to give back to their communities while simultaneously gaining skills and experience to improve their employment opportunities. It provides a sense of purpose, promotes civic engagement, and offers a means to achieving personal goals and dreams.

“VOLUNTEERING CAN BE A POWERFUL PLATFORM FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES TO SHOW THEIR COMMUNITY THAT EVERY INDIVIDUAL CAN BE A CONTRIBUTING MEMBER OF SOCIETY.” People who have disabilities often face societal barriers that can amplify life’s challenges. The mission of the Arc of Madison County is to advocate for people who have disabilities, from infancy through adulthood. One way the Arc promotes equal

opportunity is by supporting those who wish to participate in community service.

Volunteering can be a powerful platform for individuals with disabilities to show their community that every individual can be a contributing member of society. Our volunteers enjoy giving back in ways that other people may never have considered possible!

The Downtown Rescue Mission is very supportive of our goals to promote inclusion and opportunities for individuals who have disabilities.

While our respective missions are not exactly identical, outcomes and results of our partnership are: increased self-esteem and independence, a feeling of belonging and community pride, and personal growth through experience. We are so very proud of our volunteers and their service to the Downtown Rescue Mission.

MISSIONMOMENTS | June 2019

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e at the Downtown Rescue Mission work with many people experiencing homelessness due to unemployment or under-employment. And we know that employment not only provides income, but it helps individuals gain stable housing, feel a sense of purpose and get back on their feet. Employment also promotes membership in the community and social inclusion, things many people in homeless shelters are missing.

To meet the goal of helping our clients get jobs and keep jobs, we are launching a new Community Resource Program that will: • Help clients determine their strengths and weaknesses • Identify the resources needed to be successful • Support clients in developing their job skills • Set and support vocational goals • Match clients with appropriate job opportunities • Provide job and life-skill training and development We are thrilled to have Spur as our corporate sponsor of our on-site Resource Center. Spur is a new and innovative

employment platform that redefines the relationship between hourly workers and employers who depend on them. The company’s mission is to help the growing hourly workforce improve their quality of life. “The Downtown Rescue Mission serves over 2,000 different people every year, most who are seeking employment. Our partnership with Spur is a perfect fit” said Jennifer Geist, our new Senior Director of Community Resources and Partnerships.

Jennifer’s role is to coordinate the numerous resources and services that our clients need. In addition to focusing on employment, other services provided through the Resource Center will be help with transportation needs, providing financial literacy education, providing GED education, assistance with enrollment in government benefits such as food assistance or veteran’s benefits. We will also work closely with Wellstone to provide the best mental health care that is needed. Jennifer’s background in program development, human resources, and community relations and collaboration are a great fit for the needs of the Mission and our Resource Center.

T

he GLOW Run is back by popular demand! The original Huntsville GLOW Run is back at Big Spring Park again, but this time with more people and even more fun! This year’s event will be bigger, better, and glowy-er than ever!

The fundraising goal is $30,000 and you can play a big part in that! How? The new peer-to-peer fundraising website allows you to spread the word about the race and raise extra funds, beyond registration fee, to help even more men, women, and children in our community!

You can participate in teams that you join or create to bring even more HOPE to neighbors in need! Links and pre-made posts make your fundraising page easily shared on social media, via email, and more! Events at Downtown Rescue Mission have never been this exciting!

We thank you in advance and can’t wait to see you in your coolest GLOW gear on August 3rd at Big Spring Park.

LIVES YOU HAVE TOUCHED APRIL 2019 Meals Served

25,209

Lodging

7,893

Food Boxes

Clothing Provided

3,059

Spiritual Decisions

is a proud member of

1,727

Volunteer Hours

250 10 ®

82060

1400 Evangel Drive | Huntsville, AL 35816 | 256-536-2441 | www.downtownrescuemission.org