San Diego Rescue Mission: 2009 Year in Review

2009 Year in Review

On behalf of the board of directors, the staff, and the residents here at San Diego Rescue Mission, I thank you and all of our faithful partners for your support throughout 2009. Your generosity enabled the Mission to offer healing and hope to homeless, abused, addicted and poor men, women, and children every single day. Together, we showed San Diegans in need what real love looks like.

Below is just a partial report on how you and the Mission helped people in 2009.

810 women (including 91 senior citizens) and 451 children were safe in our emergency shelterinstead of being out on the cold, dangerous streets.

464,000 nutritious meals were served to homeless and hungry local San Diegans

9 women graduated from the Women and Children's Center - equipped with confidence and the tools for long-term success and independence.

23 additional women working towards graduating and 72 children received the help and healing they needed in the Women & Children's Center.

4 babies were born by mothers in our Women and Children's Center - starting their lives off in a safe, comfortable, and hopeful environment.

92 men graduated from the Men's Center - ready to start a new life re-united with their families, working, and ready to return to being productive, contributing citizens.

198 additional men continued to work on their graduation requirements and got help and the tools for recovery in our Men's Center.

1,340 morning and evening chapel services for our long-term men and women were led by dozens of local churches and staff to share God's love, healing, and hope.

212 men, women, and children from throughout San Diego got free therapy they needed in our Outpatient Clinic.

More than 3,000,000 lbs of extra food were recovered from local grocery stores, hotels, restaurants, etc. by our Partners for Hunger Relief Program and re-distributed to feed the hungry.

Click on the photos below to enlarge.

Graduation

Sleepless in San Diego

Interfaith Candlelight Vigil

Thanksgiving Banquet

Christmas Banquet

As always, however, numbers tell only part of the story.

The year started off on a high note at Winter Graduation 2009. Eighteen men and women successfully completed their year-long recovery programs and prepared for new, productive lives.

In May more than 800 sleepers and volunteers participated in the 3rd Annual Sleepless San Diego sleepout benefit. They united in support of the homeless and raised vital funds for life-saving programs. It was a bigger and better Sleepless, with more local non-profits joining in the program and the new Sleepless Expo to educate participants on ways to get involved in the community. Stay tuned for Sleepless 2010 – coming April 24th!

In June, the Mission opened the new Recuperative Care Unit (RCU). Homeless men and women leaving the hospital used to have nowhere to go in San Diego. Thanks to caring community partners like United Way, the RCU has changed that and is literally saving lives each day!

The Mission’s Christmas in July 2010 program helped to keep our thrift stores stocked and generating much-needed income. Material Donations provide opportunities that offer care, job skills, and rehabilitation for the homeless throughout the course of the year. We are always in need of your gently-used clothing, furniture, and household items.

Finally, in a repeat of last year, some of the most powerful memories from 2009 came at year-end. One incredible moment occurred at the 8th Annual Candlelight Memorial Vigil on November 1st. The Mission founded this event to honor and remember the homeless who die on the streets. One volunteer read the name of a 10 month-old deceased baby boy - one of the youngest homeless victims ever in San Diego’s history.

During the Thanksgiving and Christmas Banquets, lines wrapped around the building once again. More families living in their cars parked in front of the Mission – excited at the chance for what might have been their first home cooked meal in weeks. The number of senior citizens attending and in need of a nice meal seemed to also increase this year.

During these difficult economic times, more desperate men, women, and children will be coming to us for help. With continued support from our faithful friends like you, San Diego Rescue Mission will be here to welcome them with love, hope, and the tools to get back on their feet and off the streets.

Thank you for your faithful prayers and generosity to help San Diego's homeless and poor.

God bless you and your family in 2010!

Sincerely,

Herb Johnson
President / CEO

Please help us ensure we can feed everyone in need in 2010.