123 YEARS OF SERVICE DenverRescueMission.org October 2015 Building A Foundation Together Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. Matthew 7: 24-25 (ESV)
A homeless Honeymoon? After eight short months of marriage, Thomas and Denise moved to Denver to transition into a new phase of life. But the newlyweds soon found themselves homeless and living at two different shelters one for men and one for women. Every evening, they said goodnight over a cell phone call, but all they wanted was to be together again.
Building A Foundation Together We ve been through a lot, Thomas says with a warm smile at his wife, Denise, but we re happy. They first met at Thomas s church in New Jersey. Denise had just returned to the East Coast after helping her sister open a coffee shop in Oklahoma, but she was having trouble finding work. When someone asked her to come to church with them, she thought it was the last thing she needed, but politely accepted the invitation. When she saw Thomas in the crowd, his big smile drew her in. I wanted the kind of peace he had to be able to just smile. Thomas was a former bus driver, so it was natural that he drove the church van helping bring Denise and others to church events and Bible studies. And as Denise developed her relationship with God, the two of them noticed their relationship growing as well. In March 2013, they decided to get married. Thomas was driving a cab, but Denise still struggled to find a job. The financial pressure was beginning to mount. That Christmas, Thomas drove to Colorado in search of better opportunities for them, and in January, Denise joined him in Denver. After a week living in a hotel and looking for jobs, their money ran out and they suddenly became homeless.
To their surprise, none of the shelters they found would allow them to stay overnight together because they did not have dependent children, so they had to stay at separate shelters for months. Thomas stayed at Denver Rescue Mission s Lawrence Street Shelter, and Denise had to stay at several different shelters depending on what was available. Each night, the newlywed couple would say a lonely goodnight over a phone call. There was such a void, Denise says. We just wanted to be together. In May 2014, Denise was able to find a job with benefits, but six months later she had open heart surgery and wasn t able to work while she recovered. Thomas was receiving disability for a detached retina in his right eye, but it wasn t enough for them to rent an apartment. They knew they needed to find a better solution. Mrs. Cooper always takes time out of her busy schedule to help us when we have questions, Denise says. We really appreciate that. The program goals help them learn and affirm life skills, save money and prepare to transition into a self-sufficient life. That s when Thomas learned about the STAR transitional program at The Crossing, and after three months, a room became available for them. Now that they ve joined the STAR program, they re finally together again, and they couldn t be more grateful. It s been a good experience here, Thomas shared with another big smile. The people here are good, and the staff are really encouraging. That encouragement, along with their deep faith in Jesus Christ, has carried them through other difficult situations too, like when they found out this summer that Denise has breast cancer. God is a healer, Thomas says passionately. When she went through her heart surgery, we prayed about it, and God provided. We trust Him to provide for us through this process as well. Overall, Thomas and Denise see this as a Godgiven opportunity to move forward. In between classes and case management required by the STAR program, Thomas is studying information technology at a local university, and Denise is finding new ways to build into the lives of her neighbors at The Crossing. She s even started helping other STAR and New Life Program participants repair and hem their clothes. It s a good place to build your foundation, they say in unison. Thomas and Denise have been through some difficult situations, but thanks to the STAR program, they re not alone in the challenges they face. And as we come alongside those experiencing homelessness in our community, we re not alone either because you re right here with us. Your faithful support makes life-changing opportunities possible for people like Thomas and Denise. Together with them, we thank you for helping us reach out to our homeless and struggling neighbors, offering them a chance to build a new and better foundation. Help provide a strong foundation for STAR program families. Look for Thomas and Denise s story on the Mission s Facebook page: Facebook.com/DenverRescue. Use the enclosed envelope or visit DenverRescueMission. org/donate to make a gift today.
Letter from the CEO Dear Friends, On September 3, we received some startling news from the courts regarding the suit the Ballpark Neighborhood has filed against The City and County of Denver, the Board of Adjustments for Zoning Appeals for the City and County of Denver, and Denver Rescue Mission. The ruling by District Court judge R. Michael Mullins, responsible for this decision, was that the previous order of the Board of Adjustments be reversed. This has the effect, for zoning reasons, of not allowing us to operate the soon to be completed Lawrence Street Community Center (LSCC). I am shocked and dismayed by this ruling. Why? Because it is the poor and needy people we serve who are most impacted by this ruling. To me this decision is about dignity and respect. I believe there are hundreds of thousands of caring citizens in the greater Denver area who believe, like I do, that individuals and families trying to make their way out of poverty should be able to have a place where they can use a restroom, get a drink of water, take a shower, do laundry, sit in a safe area free from drug predators, and even charge their cell phones so that they can continue to look for work. A place where compassionate and willing people provide respect and care for all people no matter their station in life. A place where they can be connected to services so that they can become productive self-sufficient citizens. Are these not basic human dignity issues, and should we not do all we can to help those who are struggling? How do I know that this is important to our community? Because at Denver Rescue Mission, we have been helping hundreds of thousands of people for the last 123 years, and we would not be here today without our community s support. This last year alone, we provided over 600,000 meals and 300,000 nights of shelter. Homelessness is not going away, but we can help people change their lives one person at a time. At Denver Rescue Mission, we believe people matter, and no matter how this decision regarding the LSCC is finally resolved, we are going to keep on doing just what we have been doing providing human dignity and respect to the poor, but most importantly, HOPE for the future. As a faith-based ministry, we are praying that God will move peoples hearts to cry out for justice for the poor. God Bless, 9th Annual Turkey Chase 5K Runners, on your marks for this fun Thanksgiving Day event! The 9th Annual Turkey Chase 5K is a great way to burn some calories before your holiday meal, and most importantly, help change lives in the community! Visit DenverRescueMission.org/turkeychase for more details and registration information. When: Thursday, November 26 Where: Apex Field House, Arvada, CO 13th Annual Harvest Farm Fall Festival & Corn Maze Looking for a fun family-friendly activity this fall? Well, look no further. The 2015 Harvest Farm Fall Festival is a perfect way to spend time with family and friends as you enjoy hay wagon rides, a corn maze, a petting zoo, fun activities, tasty food, and more! And on October 31, come out for Fright-Free Family Day, a family-friendly alternative to Halloween! The Festival is open Friday Sunday from October 2 through October 31. Learn more and buy your tickets online at HarvestFarm.net/fall-festival. Brad Meuli President/CEO
Mission Events Statistics Harvest Farm Fall Festival When: Friday - Sunday October 2 through October 31 Where: Harvest Farm 4240 E. County Rd. 66 Wellington, CO 80549 Learn more and buy tickets at HarvestFarm.net/fall-festival. 9th Annual Turkey Chase 5K When: Thursday, November 26 Where: Apex Field House 13150 W. 72nd Ave Arvada, CO 80005 Visit DenverRescueMission.org/ turkeychase for more details and registration information. How You Help August YTD (fiscal year) Meals provided 42,132 80,040 Nights of shelter provided 19,509 39,380 Chapel attendance 2,603 5,369 Together 13,008 Clothing distributed (lbs.) 38,248 When: Wednesday, November 25 at 8 P.M. Where: The Fillmore Auditorium 1510 Clarkson St. Denver, CO 80218 Bring canned food items to the concert and receive a commemorative poster! For more information, visit LastWaltzRevisited.com or contact Stacy at SParker@denrescue.org. 1,542 Clinic services provided 3,145 Denver Rescue Mission Outreaches Lawrence Street Shelter Meals, shelter, clothing, and health clinic Champa House Residential facility offering long-term help toward self-sufficiency to single mothers with dependent children Harvest Farm Rural rehabilitation program near Fort Collins Fort Collins Rescue Mission Meals, shelter and transitional program The Crossing Transitional program for families and rehabilitation program for men Ministry Outreach Center Central warehouse facility including: food, clothing and furniture distribution Administration & Education: Entry point for Mission programs and home to the Mission s administrative and development staff Family Services Transitional program, assistance for permanent housing, and mentoring Global Ministry Outreach Offering consultation, resources and support to city/rescue missions around the world Changing Lives is the monthly news publication of Denver Rescue Mission. Director of Communications: Christine Gallamore Designer: Rachel Vigil Writer: Robert Bogan blog.denverrescuemission.com P.O. Box 5164 Denver, CO 80217 303.297.1815