FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 25, 2007
HOMELESS PEOPLE AID FIRE VICTIMS
San Diego Rescue Mission dispatches thousands of lbs. of food and water, offers shelter, showers, clothing and grief counseling to our county’s suffering citizens.
SAN DIEGO – The recent fires have thrust thousands of San Diego’s citizens into sudden homelessness. So who better to jump to the rescue than those who have suffered the same kind of grief?
“Right now, when so many San Diegans are in desperate trouble,” says Mission President and CEO Herb Johnson, “it’s time for us to give back to the community that supports us.”
San Diego Rescue Mission’s program men have been cooking and delivering an extra 500 - 1,000 hot meals a day to victims and evacuees at Qualcomm Stadium. The first two days, they continued to bring truckloads of water, staple foods and other supplies until officials said they had enough for all.
In addition, they have opened their doors to people who are bedding down in local churches but need showers each day.
Special disaster grief counselors from out of state are staying in the Mission’s transitional apartments as well.
Their emergency shelter for women and children has extended its hours of operation so that desperate ladies and their kids (some with asthma) can stay indoors and avoid the poor air quality outside.
Lastly, Mission officials are working directly with Homeland Security and America’s Second Harvest in acquiring and distributing thousands of lbs. of food to fire victims as part of our Partners for Hunger Relief Program.
Homeless families feel a great deal of compassion for the fire victims, as many have themselves ended up on the streets through the same kind of devastating circumstances.
“In the midst of enormous sorrow, I see a spirit of hope and heroism prevailing as neighbors help neighbors,” says Johnson. “At the Mission, we see lives transformed every day. My prayers are for renewed health and strength for our city in the days to come.”
For more information or to offer your help please call Mark Lagace at 619-819-1851.
ABOUT THE SAN DIEGO RESCUE MISSION
Every day, the lives of homeless men, women, and children are changed at the San Diego Rescue Mission. The Mission’s long-term programs provide the physical necessities, vocational training, and spiritual encouragement needed to truly turn their lives around. The San Diego Rescue Mission prepares nearly 440,000 free meals and provides over 120,000 free nights of shelter each year, serving thousands of San Diego’s homeless. The Mission operates without any government or tax dollars for its programs, with funding coming from donations by individuals, corporations and foundations. For more information, visit www.sdrescue.org.
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