"You use steel to sharpen steel, and one friend sharpens another."

Transcription

1 126 YEARS OF SERVICE DenverRescueMission.org September 2018 Denver Rescue Mission is seeing lives changed through the power of intentional relationships. "You use steel to sharpen steel, and one friend sharpens another." PROVERBS 27:17 (The Message)

2 Your gifts provide critical resources like mentoring for our program participants. Whether it be a space for vulnerability and acceptance or a time for laughter and fun, mentoring encourages participants to experience new, healthy relationships and explore avenues for growth. MENTORING INSPIRES POTENTIAL MENTORING TEACHES COMMITMENT MENTORING ENCOURAGES CHANGE MENTORING CREATES OPPORTUNITY

3 There s no magic formula to mentoring. Each person in our program is here for a reason, but those reasons are very different depression, foreclosure, addiction, family issues. During these difficult times, our mentors are challenged to build their mentee up, exploring what gives the participant value and acknowledging their worth. Mentoring begins with matching our Change Maker volunteers with program participants. Once participants reach their 12th week of enrollment, they meet with our Mentor Coordinator, Donna, who pairs them with an ideal mentor for their individual needs. Matching starts with knowing the program participant," says Donna, "knowing what he or she is doing well at in the program and also knowing what he or she needs to improve upon. THREE TYPES OF MENTORING AT THE MISSION: YOUTH Mentors help break the cycle of poverty by taking a child under their wing. These children are kids of families who live at The Crossing. Over a six-month time frame, mentors seek to have a weekly connection focused on anything from helping with homework to playing games. FAMILY We serve two types of families those transitioning out of homelessness and refugees. Small groups meet with families once a month for six months discussing practical life skills such as budgeting and parenting. She also assesses volunteers, surveying their interests, hobbies and reasons for mentoring. Once paired, each mentor attends an orientation followed by an initial meeting with their program participant. Donna is at every first encounter, and after she makes introductions, she steps out and lets their relationship unfold. INDIVIDUAL Support from mentors provides additional accountability to men and women enrolled in our programs. Mentors meet with program participants twice a month for 12 months, creating a healthy space for encouragement. TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS MENTORING PROCESS, VISIT DenverRescueMission.org/Become-Mentor.

4 WHAT MENTORS SAY: BRAD STEPHANIE JENELLE I talk to my mentee about once a week. I just meet him where he s at. The experience has really broadened my view of people and helped me find value in people s stories that are different than mine. Being a mentor is about building a relationship and a level of trust in her life. We work through what her goals are and I try to provide guidance and insight into how she can reach those goals. My mentee is 12. When we first met, she ran up to me and gave me a big hug; I wasn t expecting that. I wasn t expecting her to be so excited. WHAT MENTEES SAY: It s like going to see family. [My mentors] are like mother figures to me. I love how they greet me and that I always get to bring my daughter with me. GWYNNIESHA, Mom and Family Rescue Ministry Mentee I think it s a very good resource. Mentoring helps you to adapt to the U.S. and I am very happy with my relationship with the volunteers. They always help me if I ask and even got us an English teacher who comes to our house. ALIAKSANDR N., Family Refugee Services Mentee My mentor gives me the space to talk freely and express myself. We go out and do different things in the city. Our time together builds me up so when I come back to The Crossing, I m my best self. JEANETTE, Mom and STAR Transitional Program Mentee MENTORING MATTERS AND IT STARTS WITH YOU. GIVE NOW AND YOUR GIFT WILL BE USED TO MEET THE CRITICAL NEEDS OF OUR PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS. Visit DenverRescueMission.org/Donate. COmmunity Outreach

5 Letter from the CEO SEPTEMBER 29TH TO OCTOBER 28TH FRIDAYS SATURDAYS SUNDAYS Dear Friends, As I was thinking about the topic of this month s newsletter, Mentoring Matters, I began thinking about the people who have mentored me. When I was a young Lieutenant in the Marine Corps my boss Lieutenant Colonel Anthony Lopez was a mentor to me. He always gave me credit for everything good that happened, even for ideas that we worked on jointly. He did his best to make me look not just good, but outstanding. Conversely, if something did not go as planned, he took responsibility for it no matter who in the office might have been at fault. I have tried, although not always successfully, to model this in my own life. As you can imagine, there is very little that I would not have done for this man. He was on my team, and he wanted only the best for me as I moved forward in my career as a Marine and as I matured as a man. I will never forget him. This is what our mentors do at Denver Rescue Mission they come alongside people who have not had positive role models in their lives. Mentors at Denver Rescue Mission invest time in mentees. They listen. They offer advice. They encourage. And most of all, they try and show the kind of Christ-like love they have experienced in their own lives. The same type of love Lieutenant Colonel Lopez gave me as he lifted me up. $2 Present this coupon for OFF ONE ADMISSION Must have this coupon at time of purchase at event entrance. Not valid online. Cannot be combined with any other offers. HarvestFarm.net East County Road 66, Wellington, CO Exit 278 from I-25 DOUBLE YOUR...at no cost to you! DID YOU KNOW? Up to 75% of employers offer a dollar-for-dollar match of your donations. This means that you can DOUBLE your impact on the lives of people experiencing homelessness. Brad Meuli President/CEO DOES YOUR EMPLOYER PARTICIPATE? GO HERE TO FIND OUT: DenverRescueMission.org/Employer-Matching-Gifts

6 Jordan Jackson on Why Denver Rescue Mission Matters Statistics I don t share this story to brag. In fact, even as I write this sentence I question whether or not I should share for fear that people view it as me patting myself on the back. But I think it relates to the work Denver Rescue Mission is doing. Not too long ago, a guy showed up at the office here and said, Hey, you probably don t remember me, but eight years ago I applied for a job and you didn t hire me. As he was telling me that, I remembered the interaction we had many years ago. During the interview, it was obvious that this man had horrible eye sight; he had to hold the application right up to his eyes in order to read it. I remember gently confronting him about it. He told me that he couldn t afford to buy a new pair of glasses. I offered to buy him a pair, and as I did, I told him I was a Christian. I gave him a couple hundred our Core Strategies emergency services Guests have their immediate needs met, and we build relationships with them. Once trust is established, our invitation to consider longterm solutions, like the life-changing programs we offer, is more readily accepted. transitional programs Families and individuals develop and practice important life skills, save money, gain the tools they need to provide for their own housing, and transition into a self-sufficient lifestyle when they graduate. dollars to go buy glasses with and I never heard from him again; I didn t expect to. He stopped by our office to tell me that he s now a pastor at an inner city church and that he wanted to thank me for showing him the love of Christ. Again, this story isn t about me. But it points to the bigger picture God makes an impact in ways much bigger than we can ever imagine. When my team and I go to the Mission and serve, we see that impact. They serve so many people and they have so many different facilities. And, often times, I wonder if the employees at the Mission know the long-term impact they have on the people they serve. There must be so many lives they have impacted for good that they don t even know about. But they remain steadfast and faithful, and because of that, people s lives are changing for the positive. And for that, I am honored to serve with them and continue giving toward the work that they do. Jordan has managed Security Central for more than 20 years. While Jordan focuses primarily on executive leadership of the company, he is still involved in the day-to-day operations. Jordan is actively involved as a teacher/counselor/elder at his church and has served on the board of the Colorado Burglar and Fire Alarm Association for more than ten years. Visit Security Central s website at SecurityCentralInc.com. REHABILITATION Individuals who graduate our rehabilitation program learn to overcome destructive habits, maintain healthy and supportive community, obtain full-time employment, and provide for their own sustainable housing. COMMUNITY OUTREACH People at risk of becoming homeless or transitioning out of poverty find help with basic needs like food, clothing, furniture, and more. Interns and other missions around the world learn how to alleviate poverty through a Christ-centered response. 60,977 32,492 2,520 26, July Locations How You Help Meals provided YTD (fiscal year) Nights of shelter provided Chapel attendance Clothing distributed (lbs.) Clinic services provided Lawrence Street Community Center: Meals, restrooms, showers, washing machines and dryers, clean drinking water, and access to Mission staff for encouragement and guidance Lawrence Street Shelter: Overnight shelter for men assigned daily, chapel and health clinic Holly Center: Overnight shelter for men assigned weekly and lockers for storage The Crossing: Transitional program for families and rehabilitation program for men Harvest Farm: Rural rehabilitation program near Fort Collins Fort Collins Rescue Mission: Meals, shelter and transitional programs Ministry Outreach Center: Central warehouse facility including food, clothing and furniture distribution Administration & Education: Entry point for Mission transitional programs and home to the Mission s administrative and development staff 60,977 32,492 2,520 26, IS A PROUD MEMBER OF: P.O. Box 5164 Denver, CO