A LIFETIME OF PROVIDING HOPE
KEITH OVERHOLT, MBA President/CEO
“TRULY I SAY TO YOU, TO THE EXTENT THAT YOU DID IT FOR ONE OF THE LEAST OF THESE BROTHERS OR SISTERS OF MINE, YOU DID IT FOR ME.”
Matthew 25:40
AGOD IS GOOD: MY 25 YEARS AT DRM
quarter of a century. Two and a half decades. Nine thousand, one hundred thirtyone days. However, you say it, 25 years feels like both a lifetime and a blink of an eye. On March 20th, 2000, I began working full-time at the Downtown Rescue Mission (DRM) in Huntsville, Alabama. Prior to that, I had worked at the City Mission in Buffalo, NY, and the Nashville Rescue Mission. In early 2000, I felt a clear calling from God to move to Huntsville and become part of a smaller rescue mission with only 10 employees. While I didn’t fully understand God’s plan for my life
at that time, that first day has led to thousands of days—and I pray, many more to come.
THE CALL THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING
When I was 16 years old, I visited my father, who served as the Executive Director of the City Mission in Buffalo. That day, as we ate lunch in the mission’s cafeteria, I noticed a young man named Joe in the line for a meal. I was stunned. Joe wasn’t just a stranger—I knew him. He had played sports with me at my high school, just about 30 minutes from the mission and located in
the suburbs of Buffalo. We were practically neighbors, yet there he was, standing in line at a rescue mission.
That moment changed my life forever. How could a young man like Joe, someone so similar to me in age and background, end up in such a dire situation? I talked to Joe and heard his story, but I never saw Joe again after that day. His story became a turning point in my life. I was filled with a desire to help people like Joe. People who, despite their potential, had found themselves in circumstances that led them to places of desperation and despair. That same desire still burns in my heart today.
GOD’S PURPOSE IN MY LIFE
My calling can best be summed up by the words of Jesus in Matthew 25:35-40:
“For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and
you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.” Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, “Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You something to drink? And when did we see You as a stranger and invite You in, or naked and clothe You? And when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?” And the King will answer and say to them, “Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it for one of the least of these brothers or sisters of Mine, you did it for Me.”
Over the past 25 years, DRM has grown in ways I never could have imagined. We’ve moved to a new campus, built new buildings and facilities to serve more people, and launched a successful thrift store outreach, among many other initiatives. More importantly, we’ve provided hope, healing, and support to thousands of men, women, and children through our programs and services.
While I cherish every part of what we do—feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, clothing the needy, and offering transformational programs—my greatest passion has always been to share the message of Jesus. DRM is, at its heart, a Christian ministry, and it is through the love of Christ that we’ve been able to impact so many lives. Without Jesus and His salvation message, DRM wouldn’t be what it is today, and I wouldn’t be here, because sharing salvation through Jesus is my passion.
THE MIRACULOUS JOURNEY OF DRM
It has been nothing short of miraculous to witness God’s hand moving the mission forward over the years. What started as a small rescue mission has grown into over 140 employees and one of the leading ministries in the country, offering shelter, hope, and transformation to those struggling with addiction, homelessness, hunger, and mental illness. Every step
of the way, I have seen God’s faithfulness—sometimes in ways that were impossible to explain because they were just miracles.
None of this would have been possible without your support. To all who have partnered with DRM— whether through prayers, donations, or volunteer work—thank you. Together, we are making a difference in the lives of the “least of these my brother and sisters,” as Jesus said. The work we do is truly a reflection of His love.
LOOKING AHEAD
As I reflect on the past 25 years, I’m filled with gratitude. As I look forward, I can’t wait to see the miracles that God still has in store for us. Twenty-five years may have passed in what feels like the blink of an eye, but I believe the best is yet to come. As I say at every DRM graduation ceremony, “God is good!” And I know He always will be.
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