Christmas Dinner - Saturday, December 20, 2025

Let’s Get Social.

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Nov 21

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“God is good, and God knows how good this program is, because it helps people like myself who still have a vision to be with their kids and to be with their family— not out in the streets or dead. I had a near-death experience out there in the cold. And I know I wasn’t putting in my part. Every dollar counts for this place. If it wasn’t for the donors, there wouldn’t be students… and if there’s no students, there’s no family.” - Miguel, Residential Program Graduate

@sdrescue

#sdrescue #sdrescuemission #humansofsandiego #humanityfirst #downtownsandiego #sandiegoca #homelesstohome #homelessoutreach #transformationstory #supportsurvivors #storiesofhope

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Nov 21

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I came in with a broken soul. I felt like it was lost. I couldn't find my good part, you know? This place was in my mind for years. About six years ago, I came across it in Oceanside. I told myself, “I’ll come back to it.” When I tried to find it again, they had moved locations, so I couldn’t. I finally found it.

I came in, and honestly… this program has changed my life. They have clean socks. Other programs gave me used socks. Clean underwear. Other programs gave me used underwear. You know what I mean?

I’m thankful—really thankful—for the Rescue Mission. For having me here. For treating me like a student. For caring about me. For helping me with my needs. For the food they provide, the water, everything. Just great people. Including the donors. I’ve met the donors. If it wasn’t for them, we wouldn’t be here.

I hope people will support the Mission. Hope is a big word. God is good, and God knows how good this program is because it helps people like me who still have a vision to be with their kids, to be with their families, and not out in the streets—or dead.

I had a near-death experience. I was out there in the cold. I know I wasn’t doing my part. Every dollar counts for this place. If it wasn’t for the donors, there wouldn’t be students. And if there’s no students, there’s no family.

Thank you to every donor who makes this work possible.

If this story moved you, SHARE this post so more people can see the impact you’re making. @sdrescue

#sdrescue #sdrescuemission #humanityfirst #transformationstory #humansofsandiego #storiesofhope #homelesstohome #sandiego #downtownsandiego

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Nov 18

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“I don’t have any issues with drugs or alcohol. My Social Security wasn’t enough to keep my place.” — Mission Academy student

Homelessness isn’t one story. It isn’t one cause. It can happen to people who’ve worked their whole lives and still get hit by something they couldn’t control.

A senior who lost housing after a medical emergency. A family living in their car. A neighbor navigating chronic challenges without a safety net.

Behind every statistic is a human being trying to find stability, dignity, and hope.

If this opened your eyes, SHARE THIS POST so others can see the full picture too.

#sdrescue #sdrescuemission #fightagainsthomelessness #homelesslivesmatter #humansofsandiego #humanityfirst #humanityhealing #downtownsandiego #compassionate #homelessnothopeless

Sources: 2025 San Diego County Point-in-Time Count (RTFH), San Diego County Reports on Homelessness and Older Adults.

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Nov 18

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#SURVIVORSTORY “I just remember always feeling alone, scared, not knowing, like, when there was ever going to be, I guess, peace. My mom divorced my dad at a young age, and she ended up getting with the father of my younger brothers. That's when, like, my whole life kind of went really dark. He was very abusive to my mom, and he molested me. Eventually, as I got older, I started using crystal meth at 13, and then from there on, I'd go shopping and just start stealing my destiny is to just probably die this way to shoot up meth the rest of my life and continue just to do what I do. So, I ended up stealing a car because I needed some money, and the cops knew I ended up taking them on a 25-minute-high speed chase where I could have killed someone, where I could have killed myself. I felt God just revealed to me something my life, telling me, if I come back to him, he will use me, that he will bring my kids back to me, that what I once was, I don't have to be anymore. I came to the rescue mission on January 18, 2019 God has put in my heart for my future, this new way of life with my kids and I finally know my purpose and my passion it is for the Lord God has really, truly opened my eyes and opened an opportunity to a different life.” - Marissa

#sdrescue #sdrescuemission #downtownsandiego #transformationstory #storyofhope #humanityfirst #humansofsandiego #survivorstorytelling

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Nov 16

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“And to the donors—thank you. Your generosity is not just numbers on a page; it is lives transformed. My family is living proof. Because of you, I’m not the same woman who walked in 511 sleepovers ago.”

Karen, Mission Academy Graduate*

Every meal served, every bed made, every conversation had with someone who felt invisible—your giving made that possible. You’ve stood in the gap when hope seemed small. You’ve reminded people that they are seen, they are valued, they are not alone.

Today, we lift you up in prayer. May God bless your hearts, multiply your compassion, and keep your hands strong in every act of love. May your kindness return to you in ways that fill your life with hope and joy.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you. Because of you, lives are changing—one act of kindness at a time.

- Your sdrescue.org team

#sdrescue #sdrescuemission #humanityfirst
#prayerfirst #donorappreciation #downtownsandiego

*Mission Academy is the Rescue Mission’s 12-month rehabilitation program in Downtown San Diego.

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Nov 16

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Nov 14

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“I was r—ped when I was four,” Sophia whispered. “Sexual abuse took parts of me I’ll never get back.” Home offered no safety. Her mother cycled in and out of jail, her father was a pimp, and her siblings were swallowed by their own battles.

“I learned to hide. I learned to survive. I learned to disappear.”

Sophia carried secrets like stones. “I wanted to be invisible. I wanted to scream. I wanted someone to see the pieces of me that were gone.” No one did. “Pain felt like the only companion I had, and I treated it like a friend I couldn’t leave.”

By her late teens, coping turned destructive. She drifted from place to place, scavenged food, and used substances to quiet the memories that stalked her.

“Some days, it’s unbearable,” she said. “I didn’t think anyone could save me. I didn’t think I could save myself.”

Everything shifted the night she was on the streets with nowhere to go. Cold and terrified, she found a small light in the dark…

the San Diego Rescue Mission.

“I didn’t even know I was allowed to hope.”

Here, someone asked her name and listened. “For the first time, someone saw me. I wasn’t invisible anymore.” A warm meal, a bed, and a sense of safety began to soften years of fear.

Slowly, she reclaimed pieces of herself. “I started to name my trauma, to own my story, even the parts I hated.” Counseling, mentorship, and community helped her face the past without drowning in it.

“I remember tiny sparks of hope when someone told me I was enough, even broken. That meant something.”

Today, Sophia sees not just a survivor but a woman who fought for her life. “I’m learning to live in my body, to trust my heart, to say, ‘I am more than my past.’”

Your generosity didn’t just give Sophia a bed. It gave her a chance to believe in herself again.

#sdrescue #sdrescuemission #storiesofhope
#humansofsandiego #homelesstohome #transformationstory #humanityfirst #supportsurvivors

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Nov 14

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“There was a lot of… dr—g abuse and violence.” By age five, he was adopted into a loving family, and he remembers, “that kinda took me out of the traumatic parts of my life… but the scars stayed.”

As he grew older, Raul struggled. “For a few years, I’ve struggled with alcoholism… and then with other dr—gs. I think depression led me to it… I just wanted to numb my body and my mind.” Homelessness followed—“the last time, at 27, it hit me hard.”

“I had to ask for help. That was my biggest challenge before coming to the Rescue Mission.” The turning point came when his aunt found him walking the streets and told him to call. “Within a couple days, I was here.”

Since joining the program, Raul says, “Before I came to the Rescue Mission, I was blind. Now I can see the things I needed to do to bring out a better version of myself for the people I care about.” He’s rebuilding relationships, staying sober, and focusing on his health.

“I’m thankful for the Rescue Mission because it gave me hope. I hope people will support the Rescue Mission because it does work. At least it worked for me.”

Your generosity helped Raul win back his life.

Thank you!

- Your Rescue Mission Team

#sdrescue #humansofsandiego #storiesofhope #humanexperience #transformationstory #homelesstohome #downtownsandiego

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Nov 13

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🎓 And the winners are…

Twice a year, we celebrate the remarkable achievements of our Mission Academy students—graduates of our yearlong residential recovery program—and highlight two scholarships that change lives.

🌟 Congratulations to DRay, recipient of the We Revive Scholarship, sponsored by our amazing partners at @WeRevive, who are helping revive lives one home at a time.

🌸 Congratulations to Jimikah, recipient of the Barbara Lee Edwards Scholarship. Despite a past marked by trauma and loss, Jimikah says she always felt God’s presence—especially in her darkest moments—and now sees her recovery as a continuation of that divine relationship. Through Mission Academy, she’s found healing, stability, and renewed purpose.

To our partners and supporters—thank you for believing in second chances and transforming lives every day.

💛 Learn more about Mission Academy or give a meal for just $2.72 to support students like DRay and Jimikah: Donate today through the link in our bio.

#ChangingLives #GiveHope #SanDiegoNonProfit #HomelessResource

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Nov 8

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Even when systems fail, God’s love never does. As food benefits pause across San Diego, we’re feeding families through faith and community support.

Join the fight against hunger.

Give today at sdrescue.org

#sandiegoca #calfresh #SNAPBenefits

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Nov 8

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🎓 80 Mission Academy Graduates + 15 Children!

This year’s Spring and Fall Mission Academy graduations celebrated our 12-month recovery program students, and 70 years of life transformation in San Diego!

Grateful beyond words for your support.❤️

Through heart restoration and a faith-based holistic approach, our students are breaking free from destructive patterns, overcoming homelessness, and creating new legacies for their families. Because of your compassion, they’re finding meaningful work, moving into stable homes, and building stronger connections with God and their community.

We pray God continues to guide and bless each of them as they share their stories and inspire others along the way.

📸 Enjoy this photo gallery from last Saturday’s Fall Graduation! Each graduate proudly walked across the stage, stepping into a future filled with purpose and hope.

Visit the links in our bio to learn more about what we do.

Thank you for standing with us. Together, we’re rewriting stories of homelessness, one transformed life at a time. Here’s to the next 70 years of impact and hope in San Diego!

💙#Graduation #ThisIsMyTestimony #HomelessResources

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Nov 8

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Hope begins with a warm meal—and lasts long after the table is cleared.

Next Saturday, November 15, the San Diego Rescue Mission will open its doors at 120 Elm Street from 1–3 PM, welcoming anyone experiencing homelessness or hardship to enjoy a hot, traditional Thanksgiving meal served with love and dignity.

Our guests will not only share a delicious feast but also have access to essential services including medical care and prayer. From 11 AM–2 PM, we’ll also be offering hot showers and free haircuts—helping restore dignity, confidence, and hope to our unsheltered neighbors.

🔊 You can make a difference!
If you know someone struggling this season, please invite them to join us. A simple invitation could lead to comfort, connection, and the start of new hope. Let’s come together to make sure no one goes hungry this Thanksgiving.

Check out our bio links for more event details.

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Nov 4

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At the San Diego Rescue Mission, leadership is more than a role—it’s a calling to serve with Faith, Compassion, Integrity, Excellence and Fun. This month, we’re proud to honor Kaitlin, Vice President of Development, as our Leader of the Month.

Kaitlin exemplifies servant leadership—guiding our Major Donor Team with humility, prayer, and a heart for others. Her ability to balance strategic vision with empathy and grace inspires our team to lead with purpose every day.

Her story is a reflection of what it means to live out faith in action and create lasting impact through love and service.

✨ If you’re seeking a career where your work changes lives, join our Mission.
👉🔗Check out the Career Opportunities link in our bio.
📸 Photo of Kaitlin taken with our wonderful donors.

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Oct 31

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🎓 Exciting reminder! Tomorrow at 10:30am is Graduation Day!
📍 Location: First Presbyterian Church, 320 Date Street, San Diego

We're celebrating over 40 incredible graduates who have transformed their lives in our year-long residential program Mission Academy! From homelessness to hope, their stories are powerful examples of resilience and strength.

Your support has been vital in helping us make a difference for those experiencing homelessness. Join us in honoring these remarkable students.

If you can’t join us live, watch the live stream at 10:25 am through the link in our bio.

Let’s celebrate together!
#RescueMission #SanDiegoNonProfit #HomelessResources #Graduation

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Oct 30

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🦃🥧 We’re on a mission for more pie. You in? 🥧🦃
Thanksgiving is almost here, and the San Diego Rescue Mission is getting ready to serve a festive meal for our unsheltered neighbors on November 15th — but we can’t do it without you!
We’re looking for Costco turkeys, soft dinner rolls, and mouthwatering pies — apple, berry, peach, pecan… every slice helps make the day special.
Your donations help fill plates and hearts this holiday season. 💛
Drop-off details:
📅 By November 14th
📍 120 Elm Street, Front Desk (Attn: Alan Kennedy)
🕗 Monday–Friday, 8 AM–3 PM
Let’s make this Thanksgiving one to remember — full of good food, kindness, and community.

Learn more about our community meal, click our special event link in our bio.

#GiveThanks

#GiveThanks

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Oct 29

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Her Bedroom Had Wheels

After escaping an abusive relationship, Serenity was sleeping in her car, trying to stay in school and keep working while searching for a way forward. Then, her sister invited her to the Rescue Mission… and everything began to change. 💛

#HopeLivesHere #ThisIsMyTestimony #domesticviolenceawareness

👉 Read the rest of Serenity’s story through the blog link in our bio.

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San Diego Rescue Mission is a non-profit homeless shelter and recovery center serving thousands of men, women and children experiencing homelessness, hunger, poverty and abuse in San Diego since 1955.

P.O. Box 80427
San Diego, CA 92138
(619) 687-3720
sdrminfo@sdrescue.org

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Christmas Dinner – Saturday , December 20, 2025

Saturday, December 20, 2025

Meal: 1:00pm – 3:00pm

Hot Showers: 11:00am – 2:00pm

Haircuts: 11:00am – 1:30pm

120 Elm Street San Diego, CA 92101

Enter on 2nd Ave

Please join us for an indoor seated Christmas Meal!

Let’s Get Social.

Stay Connected

Yes, I have made a gift from my Donor Advised Fund to support the life-changing work of the San Diego Rescue Mission.

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