Making A Difference That Matters
Stories that Inspire.
Victories to Celebrate.
Stay connected with all the good work the Mission is doing!
Wade’s Word – December
The other day, I was sorting through some memorabilia in my garage, and I came across a photo from 23 years ago. The photo was of Dave, a homeless man who I had case managed in my early career. I was not able to share this story with him before he passed away from complications…
Home for the Holidays
In August 2015, Mary and her 12-year-old daughter, Emily, became homeless. Shortly after, they moved into the rescue mission and began rebuilding their lives. After working hard and saving, Mary was able to find an apartment just before Christmas 2015. Through the help of the rescue mission, Mary had her apartment fully furnished. She attended…
Sandy Claus is Coming to Town
“I like math, I’m very good at it!” shouted Daniel, “you’re just saying that because Santa told you,” Diana shouted back. They were chatting about a response letter that “Santa” had written to Daniel. He had not been doing very well in school but had recently received a letter from Santa, letting him know how…
17th Annual Thanksgiving Dinner
It’s November and soon the familiar sights and sounds of our Annual Thanksgiving Dinner will be here. Buses will pull up bustling over with hundreds of guests with hungry stomachs. Exuberant volunteers will fill the courtyard; the sun will set but the joy of their faces will begin to light up the night. The mouthwatering…
I’m Capable and I Can do This
This fall, several of our Advisory Board Members hosted a job readiness workshop at the mission. Professionals from various fields provided one-on-one coaching for the guests and assisted them with resume preparation and general interview skills. One of the attendees, Mary, had been out of the work force for years due to taking care of…
Wade’s Word – November
Last month I told you about our desire to provide mentors for the boys who call the mission their home. Thanks to Adrian Gonzalez, the first baseman for the LA Dodgers, we were able to take 20 boys with their mentors to a Dodgers game. The anticipation of the Dodgers game was almost palpable as…
Changing Lives One Plate at a Time
Around here, you cannot say Sandra without a smile! Sandra Flora has been volunteering with the mission for more than five years. As the outreach coordinator at her church, Covenant Faith Center, she sought us out as a potential partner back in 2010 and, in her words, “I could not have chosen a better group.”…
Wade’s Word: Lives Changed
The most incredible part of our work at the Mission is that we get to witness miracles happen every day. The miracles we get to be part of come in the form of transformed lives. The mother and her children who come to us with nothing but the clothes on their backs and leave us…
Looking Back on 2015
With 2016 underway, it’s a good time to look forward at what the year might hold and it’s also a time to reflect on 2015. Last year was one of the most exciting years in our history. After years of planning and anticipation, we opened our new 90 bed family shelter in Northridge. With the…
Holiday Store: Love in Action
As the holidays come around, Jen and I really enjoy putting our heads together to think of ‘the’ gift that will be really special to each of our 3 boys. We love the planning, the shopping and the wrapping too. And of course we love seeing those huge grins on Christmas morning. It was this…
