 |
 |
|
|
As Councilman, Jim Palmer is very interested in bringing the same visionary leadership to helping the City of Tustin as he does in leading the Orange County Rescue Mission. He is looking forward to working with other City leaders, as they prepare the City for the growth of the coming years. Jim’s heart is well invested in helping the community, just as he strives to reach out to the Least, the Last and the Lost. Thank you for your support to Jim and to the Orange County Rescue Mission! |
Orange County Rescue Mission President, Jim Palmer, was recently elected to the Tustin City Council. Always interested in being personally connected to the community, Jim and his family walked door to door while introducing themselves and listening to the concerns of the citizens of Tustin. He was pleased to find that so many of the citizens they spoke to mentioned they were involved with the support of the Orange County Rescue Mission.  |
|
Alcohol and drugs finally caught up with Gary — he knew it was time for a change.
For 40 years, Gary had been the top big-rig truck salesman in Arizona; he was also the top martini drinker. “I made tons and tons of money, had lots of cars and wives and kids and houses, but eventually the tail started wagging the dog,” he explains. He spent 19 years in Alcoholics Anonymous, but was sober only six of those years. Yet no matter how many things went “wrong,” Gary was always sure he was in control — until his boss’ last ultimatum: “Show up sober for work tomorrow, and you can keep your job. ” Gary had to call his boss from a bar to say he wasn’t coming in. After a couple more years of failures, including jail time, a church referred him to the Orange County Rescue Mission. Gary loved the fact that it was a Christian program. He had spent his life trying to fill an empty hole inside. He thought, “Maybe God is the missing piece.” It’s only been five weeks, but Gary thinks this is it! “It was product knowledge that made me the top salesman,” he claims. “That’s how I have to be about the Bible.” And he can’t believe how much he has already changed. By adding a spiritual dimension to AA, the program is working for him. Now when temptation, or anger, or any of his other demons come to haunt him, he has an action plan and a support group — and Jesus — to help him. “This Christmas, I’ll be serving others and serving the Lord, instead of getting drunk,” he beams. It all started with a hot meal that YOUR generosity and compassion provided. God bless you this holiday season as you bless others! |
That was a bad Christmas,” says Gary Huff. Gary had a nice house in Costa Mesa, but he and his girlfriend had spent their time together selling drugs, using cocaine, drinking, partying and bar-hopping. By Christmas, everything was all falling apart. His girlfriend had taken off with another guy. Gary ended up at his drinking buddy’s place down in Mexico. “Christmas Day, there’s no family, not even my kids. I’m not even in my own home, no tree — I can’t even remember it,” says Gary. “I’m sure I was drunk all day.” |
|
YOU’VE given a single mom a chance to earn independence.
Now she is in the Mission’s Strong Beginnings Program. Her case manager, Joel, helps with food, clothes and whatever she needs. He also got Debbie enrolled in a property management course. When she successfully graduates, she will be eligible for a job managing an apartment complex — a job that comes with an apartment! It’s hard work to leave class and go straight to her graveyard-shift job, but Debbie is excited and motivated. There are still many obstacles. Her ex-husband, an abusive alcoholic, is angry that Debbie left him. The night before we interviewed her, he allegedly slashed the tires on her car. Without that car, Debbie can’t work, and she has no extra cash. The good news: because of YOUR generosity, the Mission will be able to help once again. God bless you! |
It’s so dangerous at the motel where she lives — drugs, prostitutes and angry, violent kids — Debbie Montgomery has to keep her six-year-old son indoors. She is shocked to meet people who’ve lived in motels for 10 or more years. She sees kids four and five years old running around unsupervised. Debbie works full-time, but can’t afford her own apartment. She feels trapped. |
|
Doing for others what they can't do for themselves. That's a pretty fair description of the love that God has shown to us by sending Jesus to be our Saviour. And Sleighbells is an opportunity, not only for our clients to experience the love of God extended to them, but also for their sponsors to be the conduits through which that love flows. Adopt a Family! Will you consider becoming a Sleighbells sponsor for a family this Christmas? If so, please contact Janet Marino at (714) 247-4334 and brighten the lives of the less fortunate this year. |
Every year at Christmas time, the Orange County Rescue Mission invites volunteer sponsors to adopt homeless families living in motels and provide them with Christmas gifts they don't have the means to purchase themselves. |
|
As a result of these creative workshops, a book has been published featuring the insightful poems of the clients of the Orange County Rescue Mission. This project was made possible, in part, by a grant from the California Council for the Humanities as part of the Council’s statewide California Stories Initiative.
The homeless men, women, and children that we serve come to us from a position of darkness, loss, and aimlessness. They are struggling to find their way. With a meal, a smile, and a few kind words, their hearts feel a tiny spark of hope and they long for a change. Over time in our programs, their hearts and minds begin to sort out truth. They learn to forgive themselves and others. Tebot Bach has been a great blessing to our homeless. Through their poetry workshops, Tebot Bach has helped them find a voice. It is amazing how the experience of pain and struggle can be the catalyst for such creative and beautiful expression. By sharing their hearts and words through these poetry workshops, they have found another method for healing. If you are interested in purchasing one of the poetry books, please contact Melanie McNiff.
|
For the last three years, Mifanwy Kaiser, founder of 
On Friday night, October 20th, a Poetry Reading featuring our OCRM clients reading their own original poems was held at Golden West College. At this event, the very first publication of 
|
|
We are grateful to the Blue Shield Foundation for their three consecutive years of support dedicated to our medical programs! |
The Blue Shield of California Foundation recognizes that the vibrancy of our communities and our economy hinges on how well we manage health services in the years ahead, which is why they choose grantees based on their capacity to address inhibiting social and health issues. Operating as one of the largest healthcare foundations in the state, the Blue Shield of California Foundation granted the Orange County Rescue Mission’s stationary and mobile clinics—CASA de SALUD and the Mobile Medical Clinic—two core support initiative awards of $50,000 each. Grant dollars go towards alleviating or remedying issues among our homeless and underinsured patients including: diabetes, breast cancer, hypertension, skin infection, and seasonal illness. |
|
|
Lighting in Building B (warehouse, administration and cafeteria) is going in and the remaining drywall is being finished up.
|
|
Community groups, churches, families, individuals, and businesses — here’s a great way to help homeless families stay together while they rebuild their lives and become self-supporting: Adopt a family suite or a room in the Village of Hope! The Village of Hope is an innovative, faith-based, transitional facility that will keep homeless dads, moms, and kids together, while giving parents 12 to 24 months to work on job training and life skills. To make this dream a reality, we must complete the transformation of two existing military dormitories into 128 rooms for homeless families. A plaque with your name, or your group’s name, will be placed in the room. More importantly, your group will be part of creating modern-day miracles in the lives of hurting families in Orange County. Please e-mail John Luker or call (714) 247-4306 for more info. You can also check our Web site for volunteer work dates, construction needs, prayer requests and more. |
|
|
But at the House of Hope the “babe of Bethlehem” changed Elaine’s life. She recovered and changed so much that her mom came to the House of Hope for our tree-trimming party. Then she invited Elaine home for Christmas! Meanwhile, Hilda was sad that she had no Christmas traditions to pass on to her children. Her past holidays were so full of chaos no one thought beyond, “Where will we be living?” or “Will we have enough to eat?” She had a vague memory of making tamales with her mother as a child. So we bought the supplies and she invited her children over to make tamales. That afternoon, they created what will be the first of many more years of a new family Christmas tradition! House of Hope Christmases are rarely typical — or dull. But they are often full of love, hope for a new future, and full of joy! Thank you for all you do to make that possible! In His Service,
|
Holidays at the House of Hope can be bittersweet for the women who live here. Every story is different, yet each one shares a sense of hopelessness. Elaine’s drug use had caused so many bad scenes at Christmas (fights, getting stoned, stealing) that Elaine hadn’t had Christmas with her family in years. Eventually her family had set up tough-love boundaries saying they would have NO contact with her until she got sober. 
|
|
The next show where residents will participate in showing horses will be the Whittier Lyons Arabian “A” show in Pomona in January. Hats off to MSR Program Manager Denise Nelson for her obvious “horse sense” in caring for people as well as animals. |
In September, 
Joe Millsap confidently and expertly showed Brazillian national championship mare Dhara Van Ryad (owned by Mustard Seed Ranch), which was an extraordinary feat considering that this was the first time Joe had ever shown a horse. The residents of the Ranch displayed a true team effort in preparing for the event and their hard work was evident in the results. |
|
Of all the needs the Orange County Rescue Mission faces, there is none greater than the need for FOOD, especially during the holiday season when food is needed to stock our residential pantries. In addition to the people who come to our doors during the holiday season, we reach out to 42 motels in 11 cities throughout Orange County. At Thanksgiving, we offer Boxes of Hope filled with food items most needed by our clients. Please Help us Fill Them If you'd like to take part in filling these boxes and giving a homeless family something for which to be thankful, call Janet at (714) 247-4334. Food deliveries can be made to our warehouse from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, at the following address: 1421 Edinger, Suite B, Tustin, CA 92780 Click here for a list of needed food items... |
|
|
|
|
The Orange County Rescue Mission offers an exciting Vehicle Donation Program. When you’re ready to put that old vehicle to good use, call us and we will conveniently come pick the vehicle up, handle all of the DMV paperwork and provide you with a 100% tax-deductible receipt. Best of all, 100% of all net proceeds will go directly to serving the Least, the Last and the Lost of Orange County. Now THAT is a wise investment! |
|
|
Refer them to us! We have downloadable and printable cards with the services we offer and a map to our emergency/transitional facility in Santa Ana. Click here to download the cards in PDF format. Print them out, keep them in your car and hand them out to the homeless people you encounter. If you don't have Adobe Acrobat Reader, click the link below.
|
|
|
|
|
Copyright © 1963-2006, Orange County Rescue Mission. All Rights Reserved
|