History
Throughout its history, the San Diego Rescue Mission has established itself as a city leader on the issue of homelessness in San Diego.
Founded in 1955, the San Diego Rescue Mission began with food, clothing, and spiritual care to our counties homeless. Over the decades, we’ve expanded our services by opening emergency shelters across the region—including the first shelters for women and the only one that serves intact families. Today, the San Diego Rescue Mission helps people transition off the streets through street outreach, 30-day shelters, and Mission Academy—our yearlong residential program. Across San Diego County, we serve thousands of men, women, and children each year through no-cost, Christ-centered programs designed to help people stay off the streets permanently.
June 1, 1955 Arnold Thiesen leaves his position as superintendent of the Fresno Rescue Mission to start a much needed Rescue Mission in San Diego.
August 1, 1955 Called City Rescue Mission initially, the San Diego Rescue Mission’s first service is held at 428 G Street in a building that had been a poker parlor for the previous 25 years.
December 1, 1955 The Mission now serves over 1,500 hot meals a day and begins its first daily radio broadcast on KGB-AM 1360.
August 1, 1956 The Mission offers its first weekly medical clinic.
November 1, 1958 The Mission moves into a new facility (formerly a hotel) located at 527 5th Avenue in downtown San Diego. Overnight shelter begins for men. One year later, the third floor was designated as a shelter for women and children – the city’s first!
January 1, 1959 The huge neon cross on the front of the Mission’s new building cost $345. It was 8.5” tall by 5.5” Wide. The cross continually flashed “Jesus Saves.”
August 1, 1960 The Mission opens its newly renovated Dining Hall with capacity for 110…A whiskey bar was located in this same space prior to the renovations!
January 1, 1961 On Thanksgiving Day in 1961, the Mission hosted a “Mortgage Burning” ceremony to commemorate raising nearly $36,000 for the new facility.
April 1, 1967 Opening of the City Rescue Mission’s Goodwin Family Shelter at 14th and J Street.
February 1, 1968 The Mission now feeds 5,000 men, women, and children each month.
May 1, 1970 135 Children have made use of the Goodwin playground facility during the last four Saturday afternoons. After playtime the children attend Bible Clubs, followed by ice cream, cookies and punch.
January 1, 1971 In 1970 the Mission went through more than 3 lbs. of coffee each day!
May 1, 1973 Construction begins expanding the Dining Hall to include a 2nd floor Men’s shelter with 60 beds. The Center for Women and Children moves to the building at 14th and J Street.
October 1, 1975 The Mission serves its one millionth free meal and has now provided nearly a quarter of a million nights of free lodging.
January 1, 1978 The Mission dedicates its brand new 300 seat Chapel, made possible through the purchase of an adjacent building with lot several years prior.
August 1, 1980 City Rescue Mission changes its name to San Diego Rescue Mission, citing confusion with the Mission being an agency of the City.
April 1, 1984 The San Diego Rescue Mission holds a groundbreaking ceremony for their new 48,000 sq ft facility located at 1150 J Street.
December 1, 1985 The Mission begins its Food Recovery Ministry, now called Partners for Hunger Relief, to collect food from grocery stores, restaurants, caterers, and hotels that would otherwise be discarded.
June 1, 1986 The Mission dedicates the new J Street building. It includes a chapel, dining hall, men’s quarters, health clinic, recreation area, and library.
January 1, 1987 In 1991 Mrs. America Jill Scott visited the Mission and shared her testimony.
February 1, 1992 The San Diego City Council issues a conditional use permit for a new Women’s and Children’s Center at 936 South 16th St.
June 1, 1993 The Rachel Grosvenor Center for Women and Children is opened.
July 1, 1997 The Mission opens a Central Receiving Center for the tons of goods donated each year. Within months it opens two thrift stores.
January 1, 1998 On January 25, 1998 fifty men from the San Diego Rescue Mission’s rehabilitation program participated in the Super Bowl held at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego. Their duties included breaking down and setting up the stage for the half-time festivities.
December 1, 2000 Each night, 60+ battered, homeless, or poor, women and children turn to the Mission. The shelter was the only service available that women could check-in after hours. After 24 years of service, this facility closed in October 2024 to mark the transition to new Lighthouse shelter programs across San Diego County.
January 1, 2004 San Diego Rescue Mission consolidated all of its rehabilitation programs into the former Harbor View Medical Center at 120 Elm Street, doubling its capacity to help more people than ever.
September 1, 2005 The Mission celebrates 50 years of serving the least, last and lost and also dedicates the Elm Street building.
December 1, 2006 The Mission Opens its new Outpatient Therapy Center. This Psychotherapy Center is a free service to the community. Therapy is provided at no cost to individuals, families, children and couples to those who are homeless, at risk for homelessness or those who are unable to afford therapy.
September 1, 2008 A brand new playground is built for the children at the 120 Elm St shelter.
January 1, 2009 The Rescue Mission opened the first non-VA recuperative care unit in the county providing 28 beds to homeless individuals who have been discharged from hospitals, but have on-going medical needs.
January 2, 2014 San Diego Rescue Mission opened a multi-phase Transitional Housing program for single men and women followed by a program for women with children in 2015.
September 1, 2014 As another step to offer a full continuum of services to clients, the Rescue Mission opened a preschool for the children of mothers staying in our emergency shelter, as well as, mothers in our year-long rehabilitation program. The school ceased operations in February, 2023.
January 1, 2017 In partnership with the San Diego Community College District the organization built upon its tradition of providing practical help with an even stronger emphasis on education as a means of improving clients’ employment opportunities post-graduation.
January 2, 2017 Donnie Dee takes the helm of the San Diego Rescue Mission as President & CEO after nearly three decades in various roles at the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA).
October 1, 2020 The Mission merges with Bread of Life Rescue Mission to expand critical services to North County.
July 1, 2023 San Diego Rescue Mission opens its first Lighthouse – a referral-only 50-bed transitional shelter for men, women and families.
June 1, 2024 On June 20th, we proudly opened the South County Lighthouse – National City’s first 30-day emergency shelter, offering 162 beds for men, women and families.
June 1955
August 1955
December 1955
August 1956
November 1958
Did You Know?
August 1960
Did You Know?
April 1967
February 1968
May 1970
Did You Know?
May 1973
October 1975
January 1978
August 1980
April 1984
1985
June 1986
Did You Know?
February 1992
June 1993
July 1997
Did You Know?
2000
2004
September 2005
2006
September 2008
June 2009
June 2014
September 2014
2017
2017
October 2020
July 2023
June 2024
Check Out our History Timeline!
June 1, 1955 Arnold Thiesen leaves his position as superintendent of the Fresno Rescue Mission to start a much needed Rescue Mission in San Diego.
August 1, 1955 Called City Rescue Mission initially, the San Diego Rescue Mission’s first service is held at 428 G Street in a building that had been a poker parlor for the previous 25 years.
December 1, 1955 The Mission now serves over 1,500 hot meals a day and begins its first daily radio broadcast on KGB-AM 1360.
August 1, 1956 The Mission offers its first weekly medical clinic.
November 1, 1958 The Mission moves into a new facility (formerly a hotel) located at 527 5th Avenue in downtown San Diego. Overnight shelter begins for men. One year later, the third floor was designated as a shelter for women and children – the city’s first!
January 1, 1959 The huge neon cross on the front of the Mission’s new building cost $345. It was 8.5” tall by 5.5” Wide. The cross continually flashed “Jesus Saves.”
August 1, 1960 The Mission opens its newly renovated Dining Hall with capacity for 110…A whiskey bar was located in this same space prior to the renovations!
January 1, 1961 On Thanksgiving Day in 1961, the Mission hosted a “Mortgage Burning” ceremony to commemorate raising nearly $36,000 for the new facility.
April 1, 1967 Opening of the City Rescue Mission’s Goodwin Family Shelter at 14th and J Street.
February 1, 1968 The Mission now feeds 5,000 men, women, and children each month.
May 1, 1970 135 Children have made use of the Goodwin playground facility during the last four Saturday afternoons. After playtime the children attend Bible Clubs, followed by ice cream, cookies and punch.
January 1, 1971 In 1970 the Mission went through more than 3 lbs. of coffee each day!
May 1, 1973 Construction begins expanding the Dining Hall to include a 2nd floor Men’s shelter with 60 beds. The Center for Women and Children moves to the building at 14th and J Street.
October 1, 1975 The Mission serves its one millionth free meal and has now provided nearly a quarter of a million nights of free lodging.
January 1, 1978 The Mission dedicates its brand new 300 seat Chapel, made possible through the purchase of an adjacent building with lot several years prior.
August 1, 1980 City Rescue Mission changes its name to San Diego Rescue Mission, citing confusion with the Mission being an agency of the City.
April 1, 1984 The San Diego Rescue Mission holds a groundbreaking ceremony for their new 48,000 sq ft facility located at 1150 J Street.
December 1, 1985 The Mission begins its Food Recovery Ministry, now called Partners for Hunger Relief, to collect food from grocery stores, restaurants, caterers, and hotels that would otherwise be discarded.
June 1, 1986 The Mission dedicates the new J Street building. It includes a chapel, dining hall, men’s quarters, health clinic, recreation area, and library.
January 1, 1987 In 1991 Mrs. America Jill Scott visited the Mission and shared her testimony.
February 1, 1992 The San Diego City Council issues a conditional use permit for a new Women’s and Children’s Center at 936 South 16th St.
June 1, 1993 The Rachel Grosvenor Center for Women and Children is opened.
July 1, 1997 The Mission opens a Central Receiving Center for the tons of goods donated each year. Within months it opens two thrift stores.
January 1, 1998 On January 25, 1998 fifty men from the San Diego Rescue Mission’s rehabilitation program participated in the Super Bowl held at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego. Their duties included breaking down and setting up the stage for the half-time festivities.
December 1, 2000 Each night, 60+ battered, homeless, or poor, women and children turn to the Mission. The shelter was the only service available that women could check-in after hours. After 24 years of service, this facility closed in October 2024 to mark the transition to new Lighthouse shelter programs across San Diego County.
January 1, 2004 San Diego Rescue Mission consolidated all of its rehabilitation programs into the former Harbor View Medical Center at 120 Elm Street, doubling its capacity to help more people than ever.
September 1, 2005 The Mission celebrates 50 years of serving the least, last and lost and also dedicates the Elm Street building.
December 1, 2006 The Mission Opens its new Outpatient Therapy Center. This Psychotherapy Center is a free service to the community. Therapy is provided at no cost to individuals, families, children and couples to those who are homeless, at risk for homelessness or those who are unable to afford therapy.
September 1, 2008 A brand new playground is built for the children at the 120 Elm St shelter.
January 1, 2009 The Rescue Mission opened the first non-VA recuperative care unit in the county providing 28 beds to homeless individuals who have been discharged from hospitals, but have on-going medical needs.
January 2, 2014 San Diego Rescue Mission opened a multi-phase Transitional Housing program for single men and women followed by a program for women with children in 2015.
September 1, 2014 As another step to offer a full continuum of services to clients, the Rescue Mission opened a preschool for the children of mothers staying in our emergency shelter, as well as, mothers in our year-long rehabilitation program. The school ceased operations in February, 2023.
January 1, 2017 In partnership with the San Diego Community College District the organization built upon its tradition of providing practical help with an even stronger emphasis on education as a means of improving clients’ employment opportunities post-graduation.
January 2, 2017 Donnie Dee takes the helm of the San Diego Rescue Mission as President & CEO after nearly three decades in various roles at the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA).
October 1, 2020 The Mission merges with Bread of Life Rescue Mission to expand critical services to North County.
July 1, 2023 San Diego Rescue Mission opens its first Lighthouse – a referral-only 50-bed transitional shelter for men, women and families.
June 1, 2024 On June 20th, we proudly opened the South County Lighthouse – National City’s first 30-day emergency shelter, offering 162 beds for men, women and families.
June 1955
August 1955
December 1955
August 1956
November 1958
Did You Know?
August 1960
Did You Know?
April 1967
February 1968
May 1970
Did You Know?
May 1973
October 1975
January 1978
August 1980
April 1984
1985
June 1986
Did You Know?
February 1992
June 1993
July 1997
Did You Know?
2000
2004
September 2005
2006
September 2008
June 2009
June 2014
September 2014
2017
2017
October 2020
July 2023
June 2024
