Jerry Laforteza and his wife, Frances Ann, arrived in the USA from the Philippines in 1999. Since the winter of 2001, he has served as a Volunteer Youth Pastor and as the Worship Leader at the First Baptist Church of Santa Ana. Jerry is also an assistant coach and athletic trainer for the Santa Ana High School wrestling team.

His church had been making financial donations to the work of the Orange County Rescue Mission for some time when a meeting between Jerry and his pastor ignited the spark of an idea. As part of their initiative to extend the church's outreach into the community, they decided that they would like to augment the church's monthly gift to the Rescue Mission and provide food to feed the residents at the House of Hope.

So for the past two years, on the last Sunday of each month, Jerry has taken up to five young people and 10 adult youth volunteers to the House of Hope where they serve meals to the residents. Jerry also arranges transportation for some of the parents and children living there to enable them to attend the Sunday morning church service to worship and to enjoy fellowship with the congregation.

Jerry feels that in helping the homeless he is following the example of Christ. He notes that the young people benefit from it because they see a different side of life. "Even if they have little, they appreciate what they have more when they contrast it with those who don't even have a home of their own." He says that by practicing what they preach their focus is taken off their own hardships and placed on what they can do for others.

Thank YOU, Jerry, and the First Baptist Church of Santa Ana for your generosity in continuing to support the work of the Orange County Rescue Mission!